FOOR :YEIR§'::MiPAIGNING IN THE 
ARMY OF TSE CUMBERLAND 



iHSIEEOT CORPS 






By CHARLES W. BENNEH 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



oQQiaaiQbT'^i 



TO THE LtBRARIAN 
By the generosity of Mr. James W. 
Fales (page dZ'/z) 144 Crawford Ave. 
West, Detroit, Mich., this little book 
is sent to your Libiary for the use of 
all who may be interested in the his- 
tory of the Ninth Michigan Infantry. 
THE AUTHOR. 



^ 



HISTORICJ.L SKETCHES 
of the 






^General Thomas' Headquarters Guards) 
With an Account of the 

BATTLE OF MURFREESBORO, TENNESSEE 

SUNDAY, JULY 13, 1862 



Four Years Campaigning in the Army 
of the Cumberland 



BY CHARLES W. BENNETT 
of Company G 



Regimental Meetings Since the War 

By Henry C. Rankin 

of Company C 



Regimental and Company Organizations 

By Frank A. Lester, Jr. 

Son of Frank Lester, Co. C 



DAILY COURIER PRINT 

COLDWATER, MICH. 

19 13 




CHARLES WILKES BENNETT 
In Autumn of 1865 






Historical SKetches of the 

Ninth Michigan Infantry 

FOUR YEARS CAMPAIGNING 



PREFACE 

The writer enlisted at Coldwater, 
Mich., August 15, 1861, as a private 
in Captain Mortimer Mansfield's com- 
pany, G, of the Ninth Michigan Infan- 
try; was mustered in as Third Ser- 
geant, Oct. 15, 1861; made Orderly 
Sergeant, June 22, 1862; Second Lieu- 
tenant, Jan. 17, 1863; Captain 13th U. 
S. Colored Infantry by order of Gen. 
Rosecrans, Oct. 26, 1863; Breveted 
Major Dec. 2, 1865, to date from 
March 15, 1865, "for faithful and 
meritorious service during the war," 
by the Secretary of War on recom- 
mend of Gen. Thomas; mustered out 
of service, Jan. 10, 1866. 

The greater part of this history was 
written by request to be read at the 
regimental reunion held at Jackson, 
Mich., on the Fiftieth Anniversary 
of the Battle of Murfreesboro, Tenn., 
July 13, 1912, but for lack of time the 
historical parts were not read, but 
the regiment voted unanimously to 
have it all published at their expense. 

The information here published, 
much of it for the first time, has been 
mostly compiled from weekly letters 
sent to my father during the war, 
from a daily diary I kept, and a rath- 
er full account of the battle sent to 
my father soon after it occurred 
which was published in the Branch 
County Gazette — all of which papers 
and records I now have; and as they 
were "written on the spot," I believe 
they are quite accurate. I have also 
copied from official reports, both Fed- 
eral and Confederate, from "Michigan 
in the War," "Record of the Ninth 
Michigan Infantry," "Michigan at 
Chickamauga," and am greatly in- 
debted to that unexcelled Roster of 
the regiment published in 1911 by 
Frank A. Lester, of Mason, Mich., an 
honorary member because he is an en- 
tliusiastic Son of Veteran, and our 
present able Secretary. Other com- 
rades and Col. Parkhurst's diary, kind- 
ly loaned me by his daughter, Mrs. 



Margaret Morey, have helped me to 
verify dates and incidents. As an 
after-thought the history of the re- 
unions since the war has been added. 
Comrade Henry C. Rankin having 
written it more fully and eloquently 
than any one else could have done. 

It is not assumed that this reaches 
the importance of a history of the 
regiment — it is just "historical 
sketches"; but it is more than double 
the amount ever published before 
about the Ninth, and it is hoped the 
comrades will find many accounts 
that will remind them of the weary 
and painful "Days of '61 to '65." 

C. W. BENNETT. 

Coldwater, Mich., June, 1913. 



THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY. 

This is the Fiftieth Anniversary of 
the most important event in the his- 
tory of the Ninth Michigan Infantry. 
On Sunday, July 13, 1862. it fought its 
first and severest battle. But few 
people remember that there were 
three battles fought at Murfreesboro. 
Everybody knows of the battle of 
Stone River fought Dec. 30, 1862, to 
Jan. 3, 1863, and some may remember 
that on Dec. 8, 1864, Maj. Gen. R. 
H. Milroy with a division of Federal 
troops there completely routed two 
divisions of Confederates, one of in- 
fantry under Gen. Bates, and one of 
cavalry under Gen. Forrest. But only 
a few remember the battle of Mur- 
freesboro in July, 1862; and still, con- 
sidering the numbers engaged, the 
battle of July was the most bloody — 
the Ninth losing forty per cent of its 
number engaged, which was greater 
than any regiment lost at Stone 
River, 
SHORT HISTORICAL SKETCHES 
BY C. W. BENNETT. 

The Ninth Michigan Infantry was 
assembled at Fort Wayne, Detroit, 
during the month of September, 1861, 




WILLIAM W. DUFFIELD 
First Colonel of the Ninth Michigan Infantry 



WHY HE WAS POPULAR 



In a letter dated Dec. 16, 1861, I 
wrote, "We had a bully regimental 
drill this afternoon and the colonel 
praised us highly for doing so well 
afler being idle from drill so long be- 
cause of so much sickness. We have 
a noble colonel. I have never heard 
him speak a cross word, and he is 
very kind to his men. Several times 
he has told the boys when' in line 
on parade, before all the officers, to 
report to him if their officers mis- 
used them. His greatest care is for 



our comfort. The colonel of the 

Indiana regiment swears at his men 
when they make a mistake in drilling 
so he can be heard for half a mile. 
When w^e get all mixed up in drilling 
Colonel Duflield just indulges in a 
hearty laugh. Then he will say, 'Now, 
my lads, we will try it again.' He 
has threatened to file charges against 
the Indiana colonel for his abusive lan- 
guage to his men. I have an auto- 
graph letter from Col. Dufheld writ- 
ten to me which I prize very much." 



and its 913 men were mustered into there within a few weeks. Several 

the U. S. service Oct. 15. Oct. 17 at other regiments soon joined us here, 

dress parade time three men who had Colonel Hazzard, of the 37th Indiana, 

refused to be sworn into service were commanding the post, 

dishonorably drummed out of camp. Across Salt River on its west side 

On Oct. 23 Rev. Dr. George DufReld, is the northern end of Muldraugh's 

the colonel's father, in an eloquent Hill, about 300 feet high here, and 

and patriotic address, presented the quite steep on the river side. On 

regiment with a beautiful silk banner. Sunday, Nov. 3, I had charge of fifty 

The Ninth was the first Michigan men under Lieut. Wright as engineer- 
regiment ordered to the Western ar- ing officer, and we graded a winding 
my and it left Fort Wayne on the path up the side of the hill wide 
ferry boat "Union," at nine o'clock a. enough for two to walk abreast. I 
m., Friday, Oct. 25, 1861, going three remember that very distinctly be- 
niiles up the river to the landing near cause it was the first time I ever 
the Michigan Central depot. After a worked on a Sunday, and it worried 
considerable hand shaking in the city, me very much. That was the begin- 
left for the South on a Michigan Cen- ning of the work of fortifying that 
tral train drawn by two locomotives, hill, on which the engineers estimat- 
the head one nicely decorated and ed 70,000 days work was expended, 
having a large banner reading "Death the Ninth doing a large part of it, 
to Traitors." Went via Michigan City making it quite a strong fortification, 
and Indianapolis. Stopped at Jackson My company, G, and company E were 
for company C to bid good bye to specially assigned to man the fort 
friends. At Marshall the "Fusileers" with its two pieces of artillery (which 
(afterwards called Michigan Engi- were soon to be increased to ten), 
neers and Mechanics), greeted us 800 and we moved Nov. 6 inside of the 
strong, and at Niles the citizens fort and began about Dec 1 erecting 
brought in coffee, crackers and bis- log cabins. The other companies 
cults. When it was daylight our moved onto the hill Nov. 18, and in 
journey through the two states was December began building log cabins 
almost an ovation, the people cheer- outside the fort. The fortifications 
ing us all along the way. and cabins were completed Jan. 1, 

We arrived at Jeffersonville at seven and we expected to occupy them all 

p. m., Saturday, and remained in the winter; but all our pleasant dreams 

cars until Sunday morning, when we of comfort were shattered four days 

went up the Ohio river about two afterward. 

miles and pitched tents on a table Thursday, Nov. 21, Col. Duffield 

land about twenty feet above the was made commander of West Point, 

river. That day we received our first which was then an important base of 

guns, "Belgian muskets," caliber .69, supplies for our army concentrating 

that would "kill before and cripple be- at Elizabethtown and further south, 

hind." Gen. Sherman was then in The supplies were brought here by 

command of the "Army of the Ohio," steamers and then sent to the army 

and he called on the ofl[icers and gave south by wagons. The hill was for- 

orders for the regiment to go to West tified to protect this base of supplies. 

Point, Ky. and to fall back to in case of defeat. 

We got breakfast and struck tents During our first weeks at West Point 

before daylight on Monday morning, night alarms were frequent. Tues- 

Oct. 28, and at eight o'clock started day night, Nov. 12, the four regiments 

down the river on two boats for West of infantry and one of cavalry were 

Point, a small village situated at the rallied to arms four times! First, a 

junction of the celebrated "Salt sentinel saw a pick sticking in the 

River" and Ohio, twenty miles below top of a stump and immagined it was 

Louisville, where we arrived at four a rebel aiming his gun, and he blazed 

p. m., and camped on a flat on the away. Of course the other guards fired 

east side of Salt River in an old or- their guns in the air, and then all the 

chard. The ground was wet, we did drummers tried to see which could 

not know then how to make bunks pound his drum the hardest. Com- 

of straw or rails, and it was the most panies E and G were then alone on the 

fatal camp we ever had, for we bur- hill and expected to be the first ones 

ried sixty-one men on the hill near gobbled up; but reinforcements came 









K - 
I 






it ^ 









"i;) 



,.v- 



V- 



O 
n 
O 




Mostly built by the 9th Michigan Infantry in Nov. and Dec, M 
From sketch by Charles A. Kelley, Co. I. 



This view was taken from the hills the north, and shows only the top of 
across the river in Indiana a mile to Mnldraiigh's Hill, the lower part be- 



up to us on the double quick. This 
performance was repeated three 
times before morning, caused by oth- 
er nervous sentinels "seeing some- 
thing." The absurdity of it was that 
no rebels were nearer than Bowling 
Green, fifty miles away, and our army 
was between us. But we were ail 
"raw" then, and immagined there was 
a rebel behind every bush, tree and 
knob, and several luckless pigs lost 
their lives by being too inquisitive aft- 
er dark. 

Saturday, Jan. 4, 1862, six com- 
panies left for Elizabethtown, 24 
miles south, companies B, G, H and 
I remaining to guard the fort under 
command of Major Fox. On Jan. 9 
company P went to guard the Nolin 
bridge, ten miles south of Elizabeth- 
town. Friday, Jan. 17, companies 
E and G started for Elizabethtown, 
arriving there next evening through 
rain and mud. At that time our "Ar- 
my of the Ohio" was commanded by 
General Buell, (General Sherman 
having been relieved from command 
because of his alleged "insanity!"), 
with headquarters at Munfordsville; 
while a rebel army under Gen. A. S. 
Johnson was well entrenched at Bowl- 
ing Green. After Grant and Foote 
captured Fort Henry, Feb. 6, Johnson 
fell back to Nashville, and Buell mov- 
ed to Bowling Green; and after Fort 
Donnelson was captured, Feb. 16, 
Buell moved to Nashville — the rebel 
army retreating to Corinth, Miss. 

Quite a number of our first officers 
resigned during the first few months 
— some because of their self-conscious 
inefficiency; others because they 



found soldiering a moi'e serious busi- 
ness than they expected. To illus- 
trate: A lieutenant was ordered for 
duty to headquarters in Louisville. 
On arriving the general asked if he 
had reported for duty. "Yes, for light 
duty." "There is no such thing as 
'light duty' in the military service, 
but if you wish to do no other you 
may go up leisurely on the right of 
Main street, take a drink as often as 
you choose, then return on the other 
side, counting all the signs you can 
see, and report to me tomorrow morn- 
ing." The lieutenant took the hint 
and immediately handed in his resig- 
nation. 

One captain became so unpopular 
because of his aristocratic, overbear- 
ing manners and ignorance of mili- 
tary drills that a sergeant who was 
also ignorant of military law got two- 
thirds of the company to petition the 
colonel to remove him. Sergeant 
Major Doubblaere (who was a well 
posted ex-French soldier) informed 
the sergeant that he had committed 
a very grave military offense, 
but that Colonel Duffleld, realizing 
that they were not so good soldiers 
as they were citizens who thought 
they had a constitutional right to pe- 
tition, had concluded to overlook this 
offense. In a kind note the colonel 
said he had referred the petition to 
Gov. Blair. They never heard from 
the governor, but in two months the 
captain resigned. 

One lieutenant was "fired" because 
he offered Adjutant Duffield fifty dol- 
lars to detail him on recruiting ser- 
vice. 



ing hidden by the trees. There were 
several large fields in which the var- 
ious regiments used to drill between 
the village and the hill, not shown. 
You are looking into the rear of the 
fort which faces from you to the 
south, and commanded the great 
Louisville and Nashville Pike, which 
passes around the hill to the right and 
rear. The fort was fifteen rods deep, 
and about forty rods in a straight 
line from right to left; but it was 
about eighty rods to follow all the an- 
gles, with a wide, deep ditch all 
around it, and would mount ten can- 
nons and 1,000 men. A corn field oc- 
cupied the top of the hill when we 
took possession, but all aroimd that 



were large trees which were cut down 
to give free range to the guns. 

The Ninth first camped to the left 
of figure 1, and laid a bridge on 
scows there to cross Salt River. Fig. 
2 is the upper half of the winding 
path, which ran as much further to 
the left behind the trees to the bot- 
tom of the hill. Fig. 3 marks steps 
to a spring, and Fig. 4 is a short route 
to town. Both of those places were 
as steep as ordinary stairs, but steps 
were made in the clay by constant 
use. Teams got onto the hill by a 
long, winding road on the south side. 
Sixty-one men of the Ninth were hur- 
ried on the point of the hill just to 
the right of the picture. 



8 

The officers at Mnldraugh's Hill be- panies of the 7th Penn. cavalry camp- 
came very nervous, though the rebel ing near us. The 23rd Kentucky with 
army was at Bowling Green and all two companies of the 7th Penn. cav- 
of our army between. So they erect- airy went east to Lebanon, 
ed large gates at the two entrances Saturday, March 29, we started for 
to the fort, which were already well Murfreesboro, the 8th Kentucky and 
protected, and then sent to the colo- the cavalry and battery going with 
nel for massive locks to fasten them us, but I think the 3rd Minnesota 
by night. Parkhurst being in com- went to Triune. About noon Gen. Mit- 
mand directed the Quartermaster to chel overtook us and sent the 8th 
send them two toy padlocks less than Kentucky back to Nashville because 
an inch in diameter. If the officers the city officials had refused to take 
were delighted on receipt of the the oath of allegiance, and Gov. John- 
locks they did not laugh loud enough son wanted more troops left in the 
for us to hear them twenty-four miles city. Marched thirteen miles and 
away! camped in a field near a small stream 

Friday, March 7, Major Fox arrived and a large spring; the cavalry and 

with companies H and I, having been artillery companies camping with us. 

relieved at Muldraugh's Hill by Capt. Sunday, March 30, started at eight 

Lanphere's Coldwater battery. The o'clock. Had to go three miles out of 

same day we drew new Austrian the way through fields and a very 

rifles, a fairly good gun. rough road to get across a stream, the 

Sunday, March 9, orders were reaa rebels having burned the bridge on 

on dress parade from Gen. Buell or- the pike. Ate dinner on this route, 

ganizing the Twenty-third Brigade, to Turned out for a similar reason and 

consist of the 9th Michigan, 3rd Min- forded a stream half knee deep, and 

nesota, and 8th and 23rd Kentucky went into camp in a clover field near 

regiments, with Colonel Wm. W. Duf- a nice spring. That night one of 

field as commander, the brigade to Co. C's men (Gus. Whitney), fell 

report at once to Nashville. Company while on guard and accidentally shot 

F arrived the same day from Nolin. his wrist so it had to be amputated. 

Tuesday, March 11, the Eleventh This is our third and most serious 

Michigan relieved us at Elizabeth- accident. 

town, and the Ninth left for West Monday, March 31, passed a house 

Point, where we arrived at 3 p. m. where several ladies stood at the 

the next day. While waiting here gate waving their handkerchiefs. It 

the band received new silver instru- being the first demonstration of the 

ments which so delighted them that kind on this march each companv 

they serenaded almost everybody, heartily cheered them as it passed, 

day and night. When within one and a half miles of 

Ever since Jan. 9 Col. Duffield had Murfreesboro we turned to the east 

been on a board to examine officers off the pike to wade another shallow 

at Bardstown. He joined us here, stream, and went into camp on a 

but immediately left for Louisville pleasant green in the edge of oak 

where the other regiments of the bri- woods and peachtrees in bloom. A 

gade were concentrating to embark large number of Loomis Battery came 

on boats. We waited for them until out and visited us that evening. 

Wednesday, March 19, when the Jacob The next morning, Tuesday, 

Strader, the largest boat on the riv- April 1, we were ordered to put on 

ers, came, and we boarded it, but did our best clothes because we were to 

not start until about midnight, when pass so many troops, General Mit- 

the other regiments came on boats chel's Division, of which we were 

with Col. Duffield in command, and to form a part. We marched through 

all proceeded down the river, there the city past Gen. Mitchel's tents, 

being six boats in our fleet. and camped on a ridge three-fourths 

Arrived at Nashville at 8 a. m., of a mile southwest of the court 

Sunday, March 23, and at 3 p. m. the house on the Manchester Pike, near 

Ninth marched through the city and a Mr. Avant, who was in the cele- 

camped on a hill about two miles brated Charleston convention the 

southeast of the city on the Murfrees- year before with Col. Parkhurst. 

boro pike, the 8th Kentucky, 3rd Min- when the Democrat party split. Mur- 

nesota, Hewitt's battery and two com- freesboro was a city of about 2,500 



population, 30 miles southeast of 
Nashville. 

April 3rd company B took posses- 
sion of the Court House as city pro- 
vost guards, with Capt. Rounds as 
Provost Marshal and Gen. Mitchel ap- 
pointed Lieut. Col. Parkhurst mili- 
tary governor of the District of Mur- 
freesboro. Gen. Mitchel moved the 
most of his Division to Shelbyville 
that day. April 7th the first train of 
oars came from Nashville and went 
on to Shelbyville. 

Friday, April 11, companies C, F 
and G, under command of Capt. Wil- 
kinson, went by train to Wartrace, 
twenty-three miles south, to aid about 
100 men of the 42nd Indiana infantry, 
who were suddenly attacked that 
morning by about 250 rebels under 
Col. Stearns. The Indiana men drove 
the rebels away before we arrived, 
losing four killed and over thirty 
wounded. We stayed with them un- 
til ne.xt day, the enemy not returning. 

Tuesday, April 15, a large flag was 
raised on the Court House, Col. 
Parkhurst delivering a splendid ad- 
dress. 

Wednesday, April 23, after tattoo, 
Col. Duffield received an order to con- 
centrate the brigade by Saturday and 
ba ready to start for Corinth. Not- 
withstanding the lateness of the hour 
the news soon spread to our men, and 
then to the other regiments, and for 
half an hour they were wild with 
cheering. The next day the marching 
order was countermanded, but the 
brigade must concentrate and await 
further orders. Saturday, April 26, 
the 23rd Kentucky and the two com- 
panies of 7th Penn. cavalry arrived 
from Lebanon and camped near us. 

Tuesday, April 29, Gov. Blair, Ad- 
jutant Gen. Robertson and colonels 
Pittman and Croul made us a visit 
and gave stirring patriotic addresses. 
On the same day the 3rd Minnesota 
arrived. This was the first and only 
time the Twenty-third Brigade was 
all together. On May 2nd there was 
brigade drill for the first and only 
time. Saturday, May 3rd, the 8th 
Kentucky and the Ninth went to Shel- 
byville to repel an expected attack 
from John Morgan, and the Sth Ken- 
tucky remained there. The brigade 
had been together a little over three 
days and drilled once! On May 22, 
the 23rd Kentucky left for Pulaski 
and never joined the brigade again. 



9 

This scattering of the brigade lead to 
the disasterous battle in July which 
not only ruined our brigade organiza- 
tion, but some thought also lead to 
the retreat of Gen. Buell's army, and 
that general's downfall. 

Morgan's force next appeared on 
the railroad north of Murfreesboro, 
and so on May 4 the Ninth was rush- 
ed back by train and at once started 
towards Lebanon in pursuit. But the 
officers soon realized the absurditv of 
chasing cavalry with infantry and the 
Ninth was sent back into camp. But 
Col. Duffield with Parkhurst and four 
other staff officers of the Ninth joined 
Gen. Dumont's cavalry in the chase 
after Morgan. After tattoo on the eve- 
ning of May 5th the regiment was 
aroused up to greet their return, when 
Col. DuiTaeld said, "Well, my lads, you 
all know we have been chasing old 
Morgan for the last three days. The 
whole Ninth went out at first — then 
we were all infantry. Last night we 
started out with only cavalry, (about 
600), and overtook him at Lebanon. 
We surprised him completely this 
morning, cut him all to pieces, and 
took 200 prisoners, with their arms, 
etc.,, and though there were only six 
members of the old Ninth family 
along, the town was surrendered to 
your own Colonel Parkhurst." 

A Confederate account (Ridley's) 
of this battle at Lebanon says Mor- 
gan escaped with only "a few of his 
men" who had fleet horses. He and 
those few men got across the Cum- 
berland River in small boats, but our 
cavalry captured their horses, in- 
cluding Morgan's favorite "Black 
Bess." This put a quietus on Mor- 
gan until he raised another force. 

Friday, May 9, the regiment escort- 
ed Col. Duflfield to the depot and re- 
luctantly bid him good bye as he left 
to take command of the Department of 
Kentucky during the sickness of Gen. 
Burbridge, though at that time we 
thought it was permanently. This 
left Col. Lester of the 3rd Minnesota 
the ranking officer in command at 
that post. 

Saturday evening, May 10, Col. 
Parkhurst was fired at by a would-be 
assassin while he and Capt. Rounds 
were riding in the streets. For this 
and other similar outrages, twelve 
prominent citizens were arrested on 
Monday by Capt. Rounds and sent to 
Nashville to be held as hostages to 



10 

prevent further outrages by citizens. 
That was in accordance with an or- 
der that had been issued by Gov. 
Johnson. When the Ninth turned 
out to drill on the next day, Tuesday, 
the 13th, they were marched to the 
city, divided into squads and search- 
ed all the houses for arms, and it was 
reported 200 guns were found loaded. 
This action greatly excited the citi- 
zens and they swore vengence — 
which no doubt they took later. 

On this day Captain Deland issued 
the first of several numbers of "The 
Union Volunteer," devoted mostly to 
local events. He was aided by print- 
ers in the regiment, an abandoned 
printing office being used for the pur- 
pose. This illustrates that the army 
was composed of men of all profes- 
sions, and capable of doing almost 
any work an emergency demanded. 

On Thursday, May 29, the Ninth 
took train for Shelbyville to join a 
force of about 5,000 troops under Gen. 
Negley in an expedition to make a 
demonstration against Chattanooga. 
The writer, not yet having recovered 
from typhoid fever, was left with 
about fifty other convalescents to 
guard our camp, and for two weeks 
our duties were very severe for sick 
men, and it was the first and only 
time I ever got "homesick." 

The Ninth was assigned to Col. 
Scribner's (of the 38th Indiana) brig- 
age. The first day out the 38th had 
the advance and boasted they would 
"bush" the "feather bed" regiment, as 
they called the Ninth; but at night 
the Ninth was at their heels, though 
the last half mile was made on the 
run. Next day the Ninth had the 
lead and when they went into camp 
at night no Hoosiers were in sight. 
We heard nothing about "feather 
bed" soldiers after that. 

The weather was hot and dry, the 
roads dusty and mountainous, and 
the object being to surprise the en- 
emy, the marching was rapid, aver- 
aging about 25 miles a day — one day 
reaching 35 miles. The brigade lost 
25 horses and mules in one day from 
heat and fatigue. 

Prom Walden's Ridge our artillery 
shelled the rebels in Chattanooga, 
silencing their batteries, and the 
Ninth went to the river and while 
two companies fired in the advance 
as skirmishers, the regiment fired a 
volley into the town. But no effort 



was made to cross the river, greatly 
to the disgust of our men, who pro- 
nounced the expedition a total failure. 
But when they returned June 12 all 
tired out, ragged, dirty and disgust- 
ed, they learned that some mind 
"higher up" sent them there to scare 
the rebels into rallying to the de- 
fence of Chattanooga so our troops 
could capture Cumberland Gap, which 
was accomplished. 

The Ninth lost one man of Co. B 
drowned while bathing in Duck Riv- 
er; Chas. W. Decker, of Co. B, killed 
by a Kentucky cavalryman with 
whom he was quarrelling, and one 
man of Co. E missing. At two dif- 
ferent times while the regiment was 
gone Col. Lester got scared and tele- 
graphed for reinforcements, and each 
time two or three regiments came on 
special trains from Nashville — only 
to go back next day disgusted and 
cursing him. The 11th Michigan 
came the last time and we had a 
splendid visit with the Quincy boys. 

Water becoming scant at our cam' 
the Ninth moved on Tuesday, June 
17, to Maj. Manny's Grove, about a 
mile north of the Court House, where 
water was abundantly furnished by 
a large spring just east of Man- 
ny's house, which was on the 
right of the camp to the north, 
and about ten rods away. There 
was an ordinary square picket 
fence about three feet high on our 
right separating us from Manny's pri- 
vate yard. There being plenty of 
room we spread our camp out for the 
first time to full, regular army dis- 
tances, making it the handsomest and 
most comfortable camp we ever had. 
the large trees making it shady and 
cool. The regiment faced to the west, 
the color line being on a small street 
from town to Manny's, and about one 
block east of the Lebanon Pike. 

Friday, June 20, the 3rd Minnesota 
came and camped on our left towards 
town, and beyond them were the ar- 
tillery, cavalry and all the teams and 
wagons of the Post. Lester ordered 
Parkhurst to condense our camp to 
give him more room. Parkhurst re- 
fused and was put under arrest by 
Lester, but was released the next 
day. There had been some friction 
between these officers before about 
the government of the city. Be- 
cause of this ill feeling, which 
began to extend to the men 




MAJOR MANNY'S RESIDENCE 
From photo taken by F. A. Lester in April, 1913. 



The picket fence that separated the Ninth from Manny's yard was 
just at the front edge of this picture. Our camp was on the right of the 
road this side of the fence where the trees were larger and more unmer- 
ous in 1862. The big spring was east (to the right) of the residence in a 
little gully. 



of the regiments, Lester an- 
grilly moved his regiment and Hew- 
itt's battery to the Nashville Pike 
northwest of the city about one mile 
from our camp, on Thursday, June 
26. That was another military blund- 
er. 

Do you remember the "dog killers?" 
Dogs got so numerous in camp that 
they were a nuisance; so one morning 
Col. Parkhufst told the guards in- 
stead of discharging their guns at a 
target to take the dogs out and kill 
them. They took a bunch of them 
into the woods near Manny's spring, 
tied one to a tree, and one guard step- 
ped back a few paces and fired at it. 
He just grazed the dog's ear, which 
made it howl and struggle to get 
away. Another one fired and cut the 
rope that held the dog, when it ran 
towards the spring, all the guards 
opening a running fire on it. There 
were half a dozen men at the spring 



doing their washings and in spite of 
all their screaming they could not 
stop the firing until one of them 
(James K. Brooks, Co. A) fell from 
a shot across the small of the back, 
which it was thought would be fatal; 
but he finally ercovered. But the 
joke of it all was that in the excite- 
ment all the dogs escaped and noue 
were killed afterwards. So for sev- 
eral weeks the "dog killers" were the 
butt of the regiment. 

Quite a number of negro slaves had 
come into camp and were helping as 
cooks, teamsters, etc. One day two 
slave owners came to Col. Parkhurst 
and demanded a negro slave be turn- 
ed over to them. Parkhurst told 
them it was a matter he had no con- 
trol over, but that he would order 
the negro out of camp and then they 
could do what they pleased. So an 
order was sent to the negro to leave 
camp, which he did at once through 



the front entrance, but immediately try, 8th, 21st, and 23rd Kentucky In- 
ran around and came in at the rear, fantry, 5th Kentucky Cavalry, four 
The white men chased him, but the companies of the 4th Kentucky Cav- 
sentinel would not let them pass in, airy, four companies of the 7th Penn. 
telling them that "citizens" were al- Cavalry, and Hewitt's Kentucky Bat- 
lowed to come in only at the front, tery of six guns. These forces were 
which was a fact. So they came scattered, but were ordered to con- 
around back and reported to the col- centrate at Murfreesborough and 
onel, who again ordered the negro Tullahoma. I did not then know that 
out, and the same circular race was Brig. Gen. Thomas T. Crittenden 
repeated, and again the men returned came on the same train with Col. 
and complained. By this time a Duffield, and was to take command 
large crowd had collected to see the of the Post and all these forces, and 
fun, many of them jollying and jeer- so perhaps I misunderstood the order 
ing the slave catchers. The colonel's in assuming that all were to be in- 
ire was up and he forcefully ordered eluded in the 23rd Brigade under 
them to leave the camp at once or he Duffield. It was the talk that we 
would arrest them for disturbing the would go to McMinnville and extend 
peace! Never after that did a slave eastward. If Gen. Buell had made 
catcher come to the Ninth for a ne- such a movement two weeks earlier 
gro. This was before the question he would not only have saved Mur- 
what to do with runaway slaves had freesborough, but probably saved his 
been decided. General Butler had chase to Louisville later, and the bat- 
not yet named them "Contrabands," ties of Perryville and Stone River, 
which he set to work for the govern- In his official report Colonel Duf- 
ment, and later made them into sol- field says that on Saturday, July 12, 
diers. Col. Parkhurst decided the "General Crittenden and myself visit- 
question then and there as far as his ed the several camps, discussed the 
jurisdiction extended. impropriety of a divided command, 
Monday, June 30, companies D, E. and decided upon a concentration, but 
F and I went to Tullahoma to garri- as neither of us had assumed com- 
son that place under command of Ma- mand we deferred it until the mor- 
jor Pox; company B still being in the row. But on the morrow the blow fell 
Court House. That left just five com- and the danger we had anticipated 
panies. A, C, G, H and K in camp, became a reality. General Critten- 
There were seven roads radiating den made his headquarters in town, 
from the city which required from while I preferred camping with my 
ten to fifteen picket guards on each, own men, and therefore pitched my 
which made guard duty very heavy tent with the five companies of the 
for the Ninth, as Col. Lester refused Ninth Michigan." 
to do his share of it. Now let us view the 

weTl'/'^tn^bp°H''<;nnl''^ H^' ^^f .^r^""!^ MILITARY SITUATION IN MIDDLE 
went to the depot and escorted Colo- 
nel and Adjutant Duffield to our TENNESSEE IN JULY, 1862. 
camp; the Colonel having returned At that time the front of Buell's 
to assume his old command. The army was on the Memphis and 
boys were delighted, and it was com- Charleston railroad extending from 
mented on that the Colonel pitched Bridgeport, Ala., on the east, to Flor- 
his tent in our midst instead of go- ence, Ala., on the west, with head- 
ing to a brick house for headquarters, quarters at Huntsville, Ala. His army 
as Lester and others had done. It was supplied by two lines of railroad 
was such things that made Duffield from Nashville, one via Murfreesboro 
popular with his men. That evening and Tullahoma to Stevenson, Ala., 
an order from Gen. Buell at Hunts- and the other via Franklin and Colum- 
ville was read on dress parade for bia to Decatur, Ala. These roads had 
the 23rd Brigade to hold itself in to be heavily guarded, because John 
readiness to march. It also assigned Morgan and other cavalry leaders fre- 
the 21st Kentucky Infantry, and. the quently made raids in our rear (for 
5th Kentucky Cavalry to the brigade, at that stage of the war the rebels 
I wrote that evening that our Bri- outnumbered us in cavalry), and the 
gade would then consist of the 9th Ninth Michigan was helping to per- 
Michigan Infantry, 3rd Minn. Infan- form that service at Murfreesboro. 



13 

It belonged to the Twenty-third Bri- in Murfreesboro on July 13th, and no 

gade, which had been commanded by cavalry had been helping Co. B do 

our Colonel, Wm. W. Duffield; but he provost duty. Comrade J. H. Shuster, 

had been absent two months on spec- Beaver Falls, Pa., wrote me July 26, 

ial duty commanding the Department 1912, that he was Q. M. Sergeant of 

of Kentucky, and sick in Detroit. He company M, of the 7th Penn., and 

had just returned two days before the that on Saturday, the 12th of July, 

battle, but had not yet assumed com- his company numbering about forty 

mand. Lieut. Col. Parkhurst was in men, turned in their Enfield rifles to 

command of the regiment and also exchange for repeating carbines 

military governor of the city by for- which they had not received yet, and 

mer order of Gen. Mitchel. Colonel so his company had no arms when 

Lester of the 3rd Minnesota being the attack came. He also says that 

ranking officer during the absence of on Friday, the 11th, while the two 

Duffield, had unwisely moved his reg- companies L and M were scouting 

iment and Hewitt's Battery to a po- out on the McMinnville pike a loyal 

sition on Stone River northwest and woman told him she had reliable in- 

a little over a mile from the camp of formation that Forrest was going to 

the Ninth Michigan. attack Murfreesboro on the coming 

Murfreesboro was becoming so im- Sunday, and urged him to tell his of- 

portant as a base of supplies that ficers. He did, but they treated it as 

Brig. Gen. Thomas T. Crittenden, of a joke! He and several other un- 

Indiana, had arrived Friday, July 11th, armed comrades escaped capture by 

to command all the troops in that hiding in the tall grass in the field 

locality (but had not yet assumed in the rear of our camp, 

command), and as our brigade had Comrade Shuster also sent me an 

received orders that evening to con- extract from the history of his regi- 

centrate and be prepared to march, ment which says there were four 

it is evident Buell was preparing to companies, B, G, L and M, of the 7th 

extend his left eastwards by sending Penn. cavalry stationed at Murfrees- 

our brigade to McMinnville, forty boro, but that three officers and over 

miles southeast of Murfreesboro. seventy men escaped to Nashville. 

(Later records show that Buell was There was no possibility for that 

thus planning). At that time no rebel many men to escape after the attack 

forces were known to be nearer than was made, so it is evident that the 

Chattanooga, about 100 miles via Mc- most of the men of companies B and 

Minnville, and the most of Bragg's G went to Lebanon the evening be- 

army was supposed to be west of fore on orders from Nashville, and 

there in northern Mississippi and Al- they escaped capture by going to 

abama. Nashville; while companies L and M 

The official reports disagree about and a few convalescents of the other 
the cavalry at Murfreesboro on the two companies were in camp on our 
morning of July 13th. Forrest says left, but only company L of less than 
there were two companies of the 4th fifty men had arms, and they were 
Kentucky Cavalry camped in the city surprised, but some of them got into 
aiding Company B in provost duty, our camp and did good fighting, 
and two companies of the 7th Penn. Sickness and heavy guard duty left 
Cavalry camped near the Ninth. Duf- only about 225 effective men of the 
field says there were two companies five companies of the Ninth in camp 
of the 4th Kentucky Cavalry that day, and exactly forty-two men 
camped near the Ninth, but of company B, commanded by Lieut, 
that "Orders were received from Wright (Captain Rounds being pro- 
Nashville the evening of the vest marshal of the city was in a sep- 
12th directing the two Kentucky Cav- arate office), were in the Court House, 
airy companies to proceed immediate- in the center of the public square of 
ly to Lebanon;" but still he counts the city, acting as provost guards or 
them at 81 in the forces for the de- city police, guarding the jail and oth- 
fense of the place! er property and Gen. Crittenden's 

From m.y own diary and extensive headquarters in a hotel, 

correspondence with survivors of the Colonel Lester had nine companies 

Ninth and 7th Pennsylvania, I am of his regiment, the 3rd Minnesota 

sure there was no Kentucky cavalry Infantry, (one company was guarding 



14 

a railroad train that day), numbering 
450 men, and four guns of Hewitt's 
6th Kentucky Battery, seventy-two 
men. These figures are talten from 
Col. Duflield's official report which 
said, "The total effective strength of 
the command at Mufreesboro on the 
morning of the 13th of July did not 
exceed 814 men, including pickets." 
And he erroneously counted 81 caval- 
rymen, when there were less than 
fifty armed. 

Forrest reported that he captured 
"between eleven and twelve hun- 
dred," but that included several hun- 
dred teamsters of the post, and the 
sick and nurses in all the hospitals, 
many of whom had been sent from 
the army In front. 

I had recently been promoted to 
Orderly Sergeant, and was so ambi- 
tious that I usually arose at about 
four o'clock to dress, wash and arouse 
the men for roll call at reveille, 
which was at five o'clock. The follow- 
ing is the 

Story of the Battle of Mufreesboro 

as written to my father on August 1st, 
except passages in parenthesis, 
which are later additions. 

"I arose at a quarter past four 
o'clock (I am sure of that time be- 
cause I looked at my new watch) on the 
morning of Sunday, July 13, 1862, 
and while in the rear of the camp on 
the east side I heard two guns in the 
direction of our pickets on the Wood- 
bury Pike, the road east towards 
Chattanooga. It aroused my suspic- 
ions a little, but as Col. Lester had 
allowed some promiscuous firing, and 
negroes were hunting occasionally, 
and as I knew of no rebels nearer 
than Chattanooga, I did not arouse 
the camp, especially as the camp 
guards did not. As reveille was not 
till five o'clock, all were quietly sleep- 
ing except a few cooks who were 
chopping wood for their breakfast 
fires. I returned to our cook's fire 
and while washing, each time I stoop- 
ed down I could hear an unusual roar 
like a distant wind-storm, but as I 
raised to listen I concluded it was the 
echoes of the chopping. But to satis- 
fy myself I at last put my ear near 
the ground, and then distinctly heard 
the clatter and roar of cavarly on the 
gallop. 

"I ran to each tent in our company, 
yelling, 'turn out, the rebels are com- 



ing.' By the time I had reached the 
second tent, our company bugler, 
William White, began to blow the 
alarm (poor fellow, he was killed in 
his tent, shot through the head before 
he got dressed), and that aroused a 
drummer, who beat the long roll. By 
this time the rebels had reached our 
hospital on the Woodbury pike and a 
few shots were fired there. That 
aroused all the troops. The rebels 
soon reached the brigade teamsters 
camped about eighty rods on our left 
towards town, and then they came to 
the cavalry, which was beyond where 
the 3rd Minnesota regiment and Hew- 
itt's Battery had camped, on our left. 
The cavalry hardly had time to get 
out of their tents, let alone arming 
and mounting their horses. There 
was a good deal of yelling and scat- 
tered firing in those camps, and the 
ropes stretched from tree to tree for 
hitching the horses, tumbled many a 
rebel horse and rider; but these de- 
layed the rebels only a few moments. 

"Capt. Mansfield was sick in bed in 
Maj. Manny's house, 1st Lieut. Hull 
was acting Adjutant, and 2nd Lieut. 
Sellon was Officer of the Guard, leav- 
ing my company, G, without an offi- 
cer. I got the company all in line, 
counted by twos and divided off into 
sections and platoons, and started to 
form on the color line in front of 
camp; but the Adjutant called me to 
come to the left with Company C, 
which was the only other company 
that was then organized, company 
C being tented next to our left and 
were aroused by my calling out Com- 
pany G. 

"Then Col. Parkhurst rushed out of 
his tent and commanded to form 
square in the space on the left pre- 
viously occupied by the four com- 
panies gone to Tullahoma. But there 
being no rules to form square only 
when in line or column, each com- 
pany rushed to that space, and while 
in this dilemma of trying to form 
square, the rebels came in sight yell- 
ing like Indians, their horses on a gal- 
lop. We were all in a huddle. The 
rebels began firing, being armed 
largely with shot guns loaded with 
big shot, which came like hail. Our 
men did not wait for orders to load 
and fire, but at once gave the rebels 
a hot reception. A large number fell 
on all sides of me while in this hud- 
dle. One ball hit my cross belt just 



over my heart which first aroused me 
to a sense of danger, and I began to 
load my gun, having been too busy 
before trying to get the company in 
position. After a little some one 
(some of my company has since told 
me it was Col. Parkhurst) ordered, 
"fall back over the fence," meaning 
the picket fence on the right of the 
camp, and about eight rods away. 
The order was obeyed by many, but 
others fell back part way but did not 
go over the fence, some getting be- 
hind trees. This move made us 
more scattered so the rebel firing was 
not so fatal, and they did not try to 
scale the fence — except I was told 
one did it, but horse and rider fell 
dead when they landed. 

"The fight lasted about 15 minutes 
(the official reports say half an hour, 
but 15 minutes was long enough for 
me at the time), when the rebels 
skeddaddled, and some of our boys 
in their eagerness chased them sev- 
eral rods on foot. We fell in and 
marched to a log house on the left of 
camp towards town which was sur- 
rounded by a high picket fence, and 
took our position in that yard. The 
occupants, (a Mrs. Lewis) left the 
house and some of the boys went in 
and made a good block house of it by 
knocking out the chinks between the 
logs. (I remember I thought at the 
time that those boys were cowards; 
but afterwards, with more experience, 
I have thought if all of us had gone 
into one of the large orick dwellings 
in the vicinity we coL'ld have held it. 
for the rebels hai no artillery). 

"Company C and a sergeant and 
eight men of company G went 
towards town as skirmishers, and 
for eight long hours did good execu- 
tion in picking off small squads and 
stragglers of the enemy. (In a letter 
to me dated March 5, 1912, comrade 
Anthony C. Chapaton, of Detroit, vol- 
untarily refers to that incident, and 
gives the names of our company, G, 
who volunteered to go out at that 
time, and that they went to protect 
the Seminary Hospital. They were 
Sergeant Andrew Nuhfer, C. R. 
Brand, Anthony C. Chapaton. Joe 
Lear, Frank McGurk, Conrad Ramin- 
ger, Jacob Madler. B. J. Stoddard and 
Charles A. Breton). We made a barri- 
cade in our front with wagons and 
bales of hay. 

(Colonel Duffield in his official re- 



15 

port said, "The rebel force consisted 
of the 2nd cavalry brigade, C. S. A., 
commanded by Brig. Gen. N. B. For- 
rest, over 3,000 strong, consisting of 
one Texas regiment ('Texas Rang'- 
ers') Lieut. Col. Walker; 1st and 2nd 
Georgia regiments. Colonels Wharton 
and Hood; one Alabama regiment, 
Col. Saunders; and one Tennessee 
regiment. Col. Lawton. The Texas 
regiment and a batallion of one of the 
Georgia regiments, in all over 800 
strong, attacked the five companies of 
the Ninth Michigan Volunteers. So 
fierce and impetuous was their attack 
that our men were forced nearly to 
the center of the camp, but they fell 
back steadily and in order, with their 
faces to the foe; but upon reaching 
the center of the camp (I wrote at the 
fence on the right of camp), their 
line was brought to a halt, and after 
about twenty minutes of nearly hand 
to hand fighting the enemy broke and 
fled in the wildest confusion, follow- 
ed in close pursuit by one company 
as skirmishers. A squadron of cav- 
alry at this time launched at their 
heels would have utterly routed and 
annihilated them. Indeed, so great 
was their panic that their officers 
were unable to check the fugitives for 
a space of seven miles, and Colonel 
Lawton, commanding the Georgia reg- 
iment, was subsequently arrested by 
General Forrest for misconduct under 
the fire of the enemy.") 

"Another part of the rebel force at- 
tacked Company B in the Court 
House. The boys barricaded the 
doors, then went into the second 
story and fired from the windows. As 
there was a street on each side, the 
rebels were much exposed and lost 
heavily; but finally enough of them 
got to the doors and battered them 
in and started for the stairs. But 
here Company B had a greater advan- 
tage and kept them down. Then the 
rebels started a fire on the lower 
floor, and the 42 men of Co. B sur- 
rendered after fighting three long 
hours, and killing and wounding more 
than their own number. The rebel 
loss was severe here, but Co. B's loss 
was only three men wounded. 

"About six o'clock a force of the 
rebels started for the Minnesota 
camp. Col. Lester had had ample 
time to form and had chosen a posi- 
tion about 80 rods towards town. The 
rebels swept around him and burned 






COURT HOUSE, MURFREESBORO, TENN.. IN 1862. 



The Court House was in the center building located on Main street run- 
of a large Public Square having a ning west from the center of the Pub- 
street on each of its four sides on lie Square, and about two blocks dis- 
which were the stores and hotels, all tance from the Court House. During 
facing inwards. The enemy had to the warm weather a large share of 
cross these streets without cover or Co. B. slept in tents outside of the 
protection, and during the three or Court House. 

more hours fighting to capture this ^j^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ .^^ jj^^ ^^^^.g,. po,,,^^ 
building from 42 men of Company B, ^^ ^^^^^.^j ^^^ ^.^^^ around, and as it 
!)th Michigan Infantry, the Confeder- ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^ ^1^^ ^^^.-^^ ^j^. 

ates under Gen. Forrest lost more j^.^, ^.^^^ .^^ ^^nes were cheering 
than in all the rest of the battle of ,^^y to the lone picket sentinels. 

Sunday, July 13, 1862. Sergeant E. A. ' ' 

Burnett, Co. B, helped make out the I am indebted to Mr. J. H. Crichlow, 
parole papers at McMinnville and Secretary of the Board of Trade, Mur- 
heard General Forrest tell Captain freesboro, for a photo of the old Court 
Rounds that Co. B killed more of his House taken some years after the war 
men at the Court House than he cap- but before it was remodeled; but the 
tured of Co. B. This view shows the view was marred by modern tele- 
main (east) entrance where the en- graph poles and wires not there dur- 
emy finally made a dash and succeed- ing the war. Our artist wiped these 
ed in battering in the door. out, making this the only picture ex- 

Tho jail was a two story brick tant really like the view in 1862. 



17 

all the tents and other property in began to write ^his paper. In his 

his camps. The Minnesotans fired oflJicial report \\ritten a long time af- 

but one volley, but one of its com- terwards, Col. Parkhurst said the 

panies deployd as skirmishers and camp guards SiX.\e. the alarm, and Col. 

this and Hewitt's Battery kept up a Duffield said, "The noise of so many 

scattering fire for about two hours, hoofs at full speed upon the macad- 

In the mean time the rebels burned amized road was vo great that the 

the depot and all other buildings con- alarm was given before the head of 

taining government property, and the rebel column reached our pickets, 

gathered in the pickets on the various about one mile distant, so that our 

roads, except Corporal Edward Acker men were formed and ready to re- 

and five men of Company G who were ceive them, although they came in at 

on the Shelbyville .pike. They es- full speed." Both of these officers 

caped and joined the four companies were asleep in their tents at the time 

at Tullahoma. and knew nothing about how the 

"Once during the forenoon when alarm was given. The camp guards 

the regular train from Nashville did nothing to alarm the camp— it 

whistled for the station the rebels was alarmed as I have before stated, 

thought reinforcements had arrived and I did not hear the rebel cavalry 

and skedaddled from town. The en- until after they had passed our pick- 

gineer saw the situation in time to ets. Gen. Forrest says in his report 

stop his train and run back to Nash- that he did not begin the charge until 

ville_ near in town after passing the pick- 

..T-.' ■ IT J.X, • ui 1, c ets, and the enemy was completely 

r h?"'r?^nf rif^ ^ifL^Eln? ?n Surprised. I have written to eight 
fighting Col. Lester did nothing to J company G and they substan- 

boys dressed as citizens passing '"•; '7.'' the rieht of the camp and 

through rebel lines, George Gillen, of ^^^^ j^ "^^ J^ n„I f^Li^ ^ofV^ro 

^ ^ ij i I- ■ c termed a better line there. Betore 

company G, Coldwater, being one of J .^^ ^.^ ^^„ 

them) that we were too few to go to v, ij...V 

him, but if he would come to us we .?., ^. „ „.„i„„i- ^ ,>, wr^r-r'^^t 
,-, , ,-, ., -x- Ti i T i About one o clock p. m., l^orrest 

could hold the position. But Lester , ^"""i, " t' ' 

.. , J. .,11 J 1, drew up all his forces in sight on our 

;-l"!.^.iI° ^°!!l^•J^^"!i 'Z^f .^l left (towards town) and front, and 



his officers, and in anger put Gil- 



then sent in a flag of truce demanding 



len under arrest but finally let him g^^render, with his usual threat 

come"to"iur lid "" that no quarter would be given if we 

come to our aid. refused. The Adjutant counted only 

"There was a lull in the firing about 125 men with guns able for duty. Out 

noon, and as there were no rebels in ^f about 225 men of the five com- 

sight the Sutler took the opportunity to panies in camp for duty at four 

give us a supply of crackers and o'clock in the morning, thirteen had 

cheese, which was the first we had jjegn killed, including Lieut. Chase, 

anything to eat that day. and seventy-eight had been wounded, 

"The rebels had come from Chatta- including Col. Duffield, Lieut. Hiram 

nooga, leaving there Friday (see For- Barrows, Co. A, and Lieut. Gaffney, 

rest's report) and by a forced march Co. C. A ball went through Col. 

reached us on Sunday morning. They Parkhurst's pants below the left 

captured our pickets on the Wood- knee. My company, G, lost three 

bury Pike by sending a force around men killed and fourteen wounded, 

them through the woods, which then (Col. Duffield received two wounds at 

surprised our men by coming from the first charge from a pistol fired by 

towards town in their rear. But two the rebel Col. Wharton which were 

of our men fired their guns before so serious that he finally had to leave 

surrendering, which were tho ones I the service. Seven of the wounded 

heard." subsequently died, and several un- 

(I never knew but what undisputed derwent amputations), 

credit was given to me for first giving "We had lost ninety-one men from 

the alarm that morning until since 1 those five companies (company B in 



18 

the Court House had only three men 
slightly wounded) equalling forty per 
cent of our number!" 

(The official reports showed that 
the rebel loss in killed and wounded 
was more than double our loss). 

"After consulting with his officers 
Col. Parkhurst decided it would be 
folly to try to hold out longer, and 
surrendered. Some of the newspa- 
pers and higher officers censured the 
Ninth, but they knew nothing about 
the situation — the blame was not with 
the Ninth. 

"The rebels rode up to us in good 
order (which they did not do in the 
morning), led by Gen. Forrest, who 
assured Col. Parkhurst that our pri- 
vate property should be respected — 
a promise not kept. Forrest then 
sent a flag of truce to Col. Lester 
(compelling Adjutant Duffield to go 
along so that Lester could see that 
we had surrendered), and Lester sur- 
rendered, not having fired but one 
volley during the half day, though 
one company and the battery had 
done some skirmishing. 

"During the morning fight Capt. 
Mansfield came from his sick bed in 
Manny's house and remained with us 
until the rebels were driven out of 
camp. Had he been a coward he 
could have remained in safety where 
his sickness amply excused him to 
stay. He, Col. Duffield. and all the 
wounded, and the sick in the several 
hospitals were paroled, Mansfield 
agreeing to report to the rebels at 
Chattanooga as soon as well enough, 
(which he did in about two weeks). 

"We gathered up everything we 
thought we could carry, the Sutler 
gave the boys all his goods, and the 
Quartermaster gave us all the cloth- 
ing he had. This was packed in our 
knapsacks, and the rebels told us we 
need not carry them, but put them in 
the wagons, all of which they took 
away with our teams. We thought 
that was very kind of them — but as 
we never saw the knapsacks and 
clothing again, we changed our minds. 
Our guns and everything valuable 
were put into our wagons, and then 
they burned our tents and such wag- 
ons as we had no teams to draw. 

"A few days before, our cavalry 
had captured a large number of 
horses and mules and a number of 
prisoners. Of course the prisoners 
were released, but a largt> number of 



our officers and men were allowed to 
ride those horses and mules. 

"About four o'clock p. m., we start- 
ed on the road towards Chattanooga, 
passed through Woodbury late in the 
evening, and went into bivouac in a 
field about midnight, the ground being 
our only bed, with only the sky for a 
covering. Notwithstanding, I was so 
tired that I slept soundly till morning. 
The mounted officers and men were 
about ten miles ahead of us, but they 
waited for us and we overtook them 
about noon, and we all arrived at a 
place where we were paroled at mid- 
night, Monday, July 14. This was in 
a yard surrounded by a high, tight 
board fence, in the rear of which was 
a large brick residence, which was 
two miles beyond McMinnville, and 
42 miles from Murfreesboro. 

"We had not had much to eat thus 
far except the little we took on the 
start, and what blackberries (which 
were quite abundant along the road) 
we picked, though the rebels kindly 
shared with us what they could get; 
and some of them went ahead and 
made the citizens fill pails and bar- 
rels with drinking water, for which 
the hot days and rapid marching 
made us truly grateful. As we passed 
through the villages of Woodbury, 
Sunday evening, and McMinnville 
Monday evening, both were highly 
illuminated — to honor us, the boys 
said! All the Johnnies were kind to 
us, the Texas Rangers being a jolly 
lot of fellows. The Minnesota boys 
spent a good share of their time in 
cursing Col. Lester for his cowardice 
in not coming to our aid. 

"Tuesday morning we received a 
small ration of corn bread which the 
Johnnies forced the citizens to bring 
in, and then, fearing our cavalry 
would overtake and rescue us before 
they could march us to Chattanooga, 
the day was spent until four o'clock 
paroling us. Duplicate lists were 
made of the names of the men by 
companies, and each man signed 
them pledging to not take up arms 
again until exchanged. One set of 
these papers was kept by Forrest, 
and one set was given to Captain 
•John M. Essington, of the Pennsyl- 
vania Cavalry, who was to lead us 
back. All the rest of the officers 
were held and taken south. 

"At four o'clock we started on our 
return nuirch, but waited in McMinn- 



ville until after dark for a small 
luncheon of bacon, corn-bread, biscuit 
and bread which the citizens kindly 
served to us in a school house — prob- 
ably the best they could supply to so 
many on short notice. Forrest allow- 
ed the band to keep their instruments 
(which he had no use for) except 
the drums, and after a citizen had 
slipped a $2.50 gold piece into Lieut. 
Moulton's hand, they played "The 
Star Spangled Banner," and several 
other National airs, and then that cit- 
izen took them to his residence for 
supper, where several young ladies 
quietly drew from their pockets small 
National flags, which they did not 
dare to show on the streets. Perhaps 
il was largely due to some of these 
loyal citizens that we got our suppers. 
But they all seemed to enjoy the mu- 
sic of the band. 

"After this we went about seven 
miles and bivouacked for the night. 
We were not all together again until 
we reached Nashville. Some had 
money and hired teams to take them 
through, some walked faster than oth- 
ers, and we had to scatter along in 
order to get anything to eat, which 
was bought by those who had money, 
and begged by those who had none, 
but the blackberries along the road- 
sides helped very much. 

"I arrived at Murfreesboro Thurs- 
day noon, the 17th. Here the Penn. 
Captain gave the parole of each com- 
pany to the First Sergeants with or- 
ders to report all to Nashville. I vis- 
ited Captain Mansfield and got my 
dinner (it was the first full meal I 
had had), visited all of our wounded 
in both hospitals, and left for Nash- 
ville with all of my company that I 
could find. I learned that several of 
our wounded had already died, and 
several others had suffered amputa- 
tions. 

"The Fourth Kentucky (Federal) 
cavalry took possession of the town 
before I left, and Gen. Nelson came 
on trains with his brigade from Nash- 
ville the next day. The most of the 
Minnesota boys did not go till next 
day when they got onto the cars north 
of Murfreesboro as they returned 
from taking Nelson down, for Nelson 
was so mad he forbid their riding on 
the cars. Some of the men that were 
ahead of me met Nelson with his 
trains at Lavergne and he abused 
them in his characteristic way, call- 



19 

ing them cowards, cursing and swear- 
ing at them, etc., and it was said he 
ordered one of his sergeants to take 
some men out behind the depot and 
shoot one of our corporals who tried 
to speak in defense of the Ninth. 
They took the corporal out of sight 
of Nelson and let him go. (So when 
the news came to us at Camp Chase 
a few weeks after that Gen. Jeff C. 
Davis had killed Nelson for abusing 
him, instead of mourning, some of 
our boys cheered and swung their 
caps). 

"I did not get to Nashville until 
nearly night, Friday, July 18th. We 
were sent into a temporary camp near 
the city to await further orders. 

"The newspapers ha-d published gar- 
bled and exaggerated reports of the 
battle, and because of Col. Lester's 
cowardice and inaction, all the officers 
and men at Murfreesboro were stig- 
matized as cowards. (There was one 
exception: I received from my father 
over a column article from the Chica- 
go Daily Tribune from their corres- 
pondent at Louisville, which I still 
have, that gave us high praise). 

"Even General Buell issued a con- 
demnatory order saying there were 
four companies of the 4th Kentucky 
cavalry, and three companies of the 
7th Penn. cavalry there, which was 
not true. All the Kentucky cavalry 
had left there previous to that time. 
There were four companies of the 
Penn. 7th cavalry stationed there, but 
two of them went to Lebanon the eve- 
ning before, leaving only two others 
near our left, and one of those was 
without guns. And none of the var- 
ious other regiments that had been 
ordered to concentrate there under 
Gen. Crittenden's new command had 
arrived yet. 

"Gen Buell continued, 'It appears 
from the best information that can be 
obtained that Brig. Gen. Crittenden 
and Col. Duffleld of the Ninth Michi- 
gan, with the six companies of that 
regiment and all the cavalry, were 
surprised and captured early in the 
morning in the houses and streets 
of the town, or in their camp near by, 
with but slight resistence, and with- 
out any timely warning of the pres- 
ence of the enemy.' (Later official 
reports show that both Gen. Buell and 
Gen. Mitchel received notice that For- 
rest had crossed the Tennessee at 
Chattanooga and was moving towards 



20 

Murfreesboro, but they failed to give "Buell's order set some of the pa- 
either Gen. Crittenden or Col. Duffield pers going again, and after publish- 
that information). ing the order the Cincinnati Commer- 

"The first and last clauses were cial adds, 'The above is in good time 
correct. We were surprised. The and tone. The affair at Murfreesboro 
rebels came from Chattanooga Friday was the most disgraceful to our arms 
noon (see Forest's report), a hundred that has occurred during the war. 
miles away, and from Woodbury, There Is no excuse for companies of 
twenty miles away, after dark Satur- men surrendering to rebel cavalry, 
day night, and our cavalry scouts had and they will not do it if tolerably 
returned into camp before that time, well officered. A company of infantry 
The citizens had said we would get well posted and resolute could beat 
cleaned out if we did not liberate the off all the guerrilla cavalry in Ten- 
men held as hostages, but they had nessee!!' 

threatened the same many times be- "This is a specimen of editorial 

fore. But this time they got their bravery and good fighting! What 

long threatened revenge, for they ev- judgment of military matters can 

idently had posted the rebels at Chat- such a simpleton have? He is either 

tanooga of the situation so that they a knave or a fool, and I guess both, 

not only knew where each camp was. But we have hundreds of just such 

but even the hotel and room in which editors who are and have been trying 

Gen. Crittenden was sleeping. But to engineer the war. 

there were no soldiers 'in the houses "We left Nashville Friday morning, 

and on the streets.' except the pro- July 25, and arrived here in Camp 

vost guards, and the sick in hospi- Chase on Sunday, July 27. We reach- 

tals. ed Cincinnati about four o'clock Sat- 

"Third charge, 'with but slight re- urday p. m. The telegraph had an- 

sistance,' was outrageous. If fight- nounced that 800 rebel prisoners were 

ing till nearly half our fighting men coming, and asked for guards to es- 

were killed or wounded is called cort them from depot to depot 

'slight resistance,' a few hundred through the city, a distance of about 

against three thousand, as it was sup- two miles. Consequently about 100 

posed, what better could men do? policemen were on hand, armed and 

"The General adds, 'Take it in all equipped, and a row marched on each 
its features, few more disgraceful ex- side of us, guarding us more strictly 
amples of neglect of duty and lack of than the rebels did while they held 
good conduct can be found in the his- us. The streets were lined with cur- 
tory of wars. It fully merits the ex- ious spectators, and though we had 
treme penalty which the law provides had nothing to eat all day, instead of 
for such misconduct. The force was feeding us, as the rebel citizens of 
more than sufficient to repel the rebel McMinnville did, they jeered and 
attack effectually. The mortification hooted at us. To the credit of a few 
which the army will feel at the result I will say that they cheered us after 
is poorly compensated by the exertion they recognized our uniforms. But 
made by some, perhaps many of the some of the city papers referred to 
officers, to retrieve the disgrace of us in a sneering way as the men who 
the surprise.' (It is a satisfaction to surrendered at Murfreesboro. I wrote 
us today to know that our mishap was a reply to the Daily Commercial as 
not half so disgraceful as was the sur- soon as we arrived here, telling the 
prise Bragg gave Buell soon after facts about the fight and defending 
that, when he chased him back to the Ninth, which they had the fair- 
Louisville. But the blame was not ness to publish. But I have no copy 
with the Ninth, nor with the men of to send you. But the Ninth will never 
the Minnesota regiment and Hewitt's forget or forgive the unjust treatment 
Battery, nor with Crittenden or Duf- and abuse received from the papers 
field; but it was with Buell for not and citizens of Cincinnati, 
notifying us that Forrest was coming, "This is as full an account of our 
and with Col. Lester for dividing the battle at Murfreesboro as I can write 
camps, and then not trying to help us, you now. Camp Chase, Ohio, Aug. 1, 
and doing no fighting himself. He 1862." 

and Buell both got their deserts In a report made some months aft- 
later), erwards (after his return from cap- 



tivity), Colonel Parkhurst said: "The 
I'orces attacking my camp were the 
First Regiment Texas Rangers, Col. 
Wharton, and a battalion of the First 
Georgia Rangers, Col. Morrison, and 
a large number of citizens of Ruther- 
ford county, many of whom had taken 
the oath of allegiance to the United 
States Government. There were also 
quite a number of negroes attached 
to the Texas and Georgia troops who 
were armed and equipped, and took 
part in several engagements against 
my forces during the day. (This is 
when the "citizens" got in their oft 
repeated threats of revenge). 

"During the engagement I sent 
three distinct messages to Colonel 
Lester, all of which he received, in- 
forming him of my situation and of 
my ability to hold it till he could 
come to my assistance, but Colonel 
Lester refused to afford me any as- 
sistance, refused to fight, and re- 
fused to allow his command to fight. 
Consequently at half past twelve 
o'clock, having lost thirteen killed 
and seventy-eight wounded (over one- 
third of my command), and being re- 
duced to one hundred and thirty- 
seven men and officers, the enemy, 
having nothing to apprehend from the 
Minnesota regiment and Hewitt's 
battery, concentrated his whole force 
upon my camp, and sent in a flag of 
truce with a demand for a surrender, 
of which the following is a true copy: 
'Murfreesboro, July 13, 1862. 

'Colonel: I must demand an uncon- 
ditional surrender of your forces as 
prisoners of war or I will have every 
man put to the sword. You are aware 
of the overpowering force I have at 
my command, and this demand is 
made to prevent the affusion of blood. 

'I am, colonel, very respectfully, 
your obedient servant, 

'N. B. FORREST, 
'Brig. Gen. Commanding C. S. Army. 
'Col. J. G. Parkhurst.' 

"After consulting with Colonel Duf- 
field and all of my officers we decided 
to surrender. Gen. Forrest promising 
that the officers and men should be 
allowed to hold their private proper- 
ty (a promise not kept). 

"I look upon this fight of the Ninth 
Michigan Infantry as one of the most 
gallant of the war, and for which 
the regiment has never received a 
proper degree of credit, having in a 



21 

manner received the reproach which 
should have attached solely to Colo- 
nel Lester, of the 3rd Minnesota, 
whose refusal to allow his regiment 
and Hewitt's battery to go into the 
fight was the sole cause of the cap- 
ture of Murfreesboro." 

In his report made after returning 
from captivity Gen. T. T. Crittenden 
said that he assumed command of the 
Post of Murfreesboro Saturday fore- 
noon, July 12. He selected Lieut. H. 
M. Duffiield for Adjutant, and with 
him and Col. Duffield visited the dif- 
ferent camps, saw the impropriety of 
a divided command and selected a 
new camp near the old one, and told 
Col. Duffield to concentrate all the 
troops there; but being assured by 
Col. Lester that there were no rebels 
nearer than Chattanooga, action was 
deferred for the next day, and the 
attack came as a surprise that morn- 
ing. He praised the Ninth for its 
gallant fight in driving twice its 
numbers of the enemy out of camp, 
and holding its position for eight 
hours after losing half of its num- 
ber. ("This fragment of a regiment, 
under its gallant lieutenant-colonel 
(Parkhurst) fought splendidly, and 
deserves honorable mention") ; and he 
praised Company B for holding the 
court house three hours under re- 
peated assaults, when it surrendered 
only because the enemy had set fire 
in the building, and that Company B 
kept himself from being captured un- 
til it surrendered. He estimated our 
effective forces did not exceed 950 
men while that of the enemy was 
2,600. 

By request of General Crittenden 
after his return from captivity a 
Court of Inquiry was held at Nash- 
ville, Dec. 17, lcS62, which reported 
in part as follows: 

"11th. That the Ninth Michigan In- 
fantry was promptly formed and re- 
peatedly repulsed the enemy. That 
at about eight o'clock a. m.. they took 
a more sheltered position, which they 
held until 12 o'clock, when they sur- 
rendered; their commanding officer 
being wounded and having lost nearly 
half their number in killed and 
wounded. 

"12th. That one company (B) of 
the Ninth Michigan Infantry, acting 
as provost guards, held the court 
house in the town until eight o'clock. 



22 

when they surrendered after it was soon halted by the Federal outpost, 

set on fire. In answer to the challenge, 'who 

"15th. That the estimated number goes there,' they replied that they 

of troops at the post was about 1,040; were a company of the 7th Penn. cav- 

that of the enemy, 2,600." airy wanting to join their regiment 

The court exhonorated General at Murfreesboro. The Federal senti- 

Crittenden and Colonel Duffield, and nels were not aware of their mistake 

laid all the blame for the capture of until they were surrounded by the 

Murfreesboro on Colonel Lester who Rangers, who, with pistols drawn, 

was dishonorably dismissed. captured the entire picket force with- 

THE FLAG OF TRUCE. Comrade out firing a gun to arouse the sleep- 

B. G. Lyman writes me that the mes- ing garrison." {But I surely heard 

senger from Forrest bearing the two guns). 

white flag came in on the street where "From these pickets Forrest learn- 

he and comrade H. C. Rankin were ed that Brig. General Crittenden had 

on Company C's skirmish line; and superseded Col. Dufl^eld, and, what 

while one of them guarded the mes- pleased him more, that the camps of 

senger, the other reported the matter the Ninth Mich, and Third Minnesota 

to Colonel Parkhurst, who ordered were still separate. Forrest divided 

that they bring the messenger in his command into three sections — the 

blindfolded, which they did. Texas Rangers under Col. .John A. 

Comrade James F. 6'Loughlin says Wharton, were to take the advance 

he was the youngest and smallest and assail the five companies of the 

member of Company G, and at the Ninth Michigan Infantry and two 

time of the battle he was an ambu- companies of the 7th Penn. cavalry; 

lance driver. He was asleep in his the second section under Forrest's 

ambulance when the rebels charged immediate command to attack the 

past him into camp that morning. Court House, jail, and surround the 

He got out, secured a gun from a hotel in which General Crittenden 

wounded comrade, and after the was known to be sleeping; and the 

rebels were repulsed he went after third section was to charge immed- 

them with Company C on the skir- iately through the town without halt- 

mish line. After using up his "forty ing- and prevent the 3rd Minnesota 

rounds," he obtained a horse from a and Hewitt's battery from coming to 

captain of the Penn. cavalry and car- aid the forces in town. The command 

ried messages from Col. Parkhurst to was then formed in column of fours 

the skirmish line, and acted there as "POii the pike, and advanced slowly 

a look-out. Soon after the regiment and cautiously until just as the day 

reached Camp Chase he went to De- was dawning they were in sight of 

troit and enlisted in the Eighth Mich- the tents of the Federal encampment, 

igan Infantry, then in the Army of The command to charge was then giv- 

the Potomac. Later he was transfer- en, and away Wharton sped down the 

red to the 2nd U. S. Cavalry. While Pi^e at the head of the Texans. The 

in those two regiments he experienced >'oar and clatter of the horses' hoofs 

hard service in the battles of Fred- upon the macadamized turnpike, and 

ericksburg. South Mountain, Antie- the wild yells of the entire Confed- 

tam, Gettysburg, and other important ®''ate command as they swept onward, 

battles in the East. arroused the sleeping Federals from 

their beds. Before the Penn. cavalrv 

Confederate Account of the Battle. could get to their horses the Texans 

General Forrest's biographer says were among them, and those not cap- 
that Forrest crossed the river at Chat- tured or killed rushed over to the 
tanooga on Wednesday, July 9, went camp of the Ninth Michigan, which 
on two roads to McMinnville where by this time was in wild confusion 
they arrived the next day. A few as the result of the surprise. The 
scattering companies joined him here plucky Michiganders, however sud- 
making his whole force about 1,500 denly and unexpectedly assailed, were 
strong. They left McMinnville Friday not to be taken without a fight. Act- 
noon, July 11, and arrived near Mur- ing Brigadier General Wm. W. Duf- 
freesboro soon after daylight Sunday field, running out of his tent, called 
morning. "A company of Wharton's to his men to get their guns and 
Texas Rangers went forward and was stand their ground. He had scarcely 



given this command before the Tex- 
ans were riding in among them, firing 
at them, as the gallant Duffield said 
in his official report, at short range 
with 'shot guns and pistols.' 

"A pistol shot from Wharton him- 
self seriously wounded Duffield, who 
was forced to relinquish the command 
of the infantry to Lieut. Colonel John 
G. Parkhurst. By this time the Fed- 
erals had rallied, and under Park- 
hurst's inspiration poured a heavy fus- 
illade into the Confederates, who had 
lost their organization and were scat- 
tered in all directions through the 
camp. Here Col. Wharton was badly 
wounded, and, being unable to take 
further part in the melee, the Texans 
were thrown into temporary confu- 
sion and driven back some 200 yards 
from the Federal position. The Un- 
ion commander, with great judgment, 
rallied his troops in an enclosure or 
lot fenced with heavy cedar picket 
posts set on end in the ground, and 
by the use of a number of wagons 
which were loaded with hay and other 
army supplies, within a few minutes 
had extemporized a formidable stock- 
ade, and now held a strong position. 
Lieut. Col. Walker, who took com- 
mand of the Rangers after Wharton 
was disabled, recognizing the great 
loss of life which would follow^ any at- 
tempt to take Parkhurst's position 
by storm, deployed his men around it 
in order to hold them penned up until 
Forrest could come to him with his 
aid." 

Then follows a description of the 
fighting through the forenoon similar 
as I have given it. He estimated 
their loss at 25 to 30 killed, and about 
100 wounded, but says that Duffield 
said in his report that the Confeder- 
ate loss was doubly that of the Fed- 
eral, and does not doubt but Duffield 
was correct. He claims they captur- 
ed 1,100 or 1,200, w^hich may have 
been about right, for they counted all 
the sick and nurses in the hospitals, 
teamsters, and other men there on 
detatched duty. He says the 3rd Min- 
nesota lost two killed and eight 
wounded; the Penn. Cavalry, five kill- 
ed and twenty wounded, and Hewitt's 
battery had one killed and three 
wounded. Gen. Forrest's biographer 
claims that the capture of Murfrees- 
boro was his greatest exploit, and he 
quotes Lord Woolsey as saying it was 



23 

the most brilliant feat of the war. 
But I can see nothing very brave or 
brilliant for 1,500 men to attack half 
their number by surprise when they 
were well informed by their friends, 
the citizens, that the Federal troops 
were divided into three camps over a 
mile apart, and they knew the loca- 
tion and strength of each camp. Their 
own reports admit that, though the 
225 men of the Ninth were taken by 
surprise, we repulsed their charge 
and drove their 800 cavalrymen in 
confusion out of our camp, and held 
them out of shooting distance eight 
hours. And though our little band 
had been reduced to 125 armed men, 
they did not think it prudent to re- 
new the attack until Forrest confront- 
ed us with his whole force and de- 
manded us to surrender under penalty 
of being slaughtered as at Fort Pil- 
low. 

The facts are that Forrest, Morgan 
and Moseby were never known to at- 
tack a force that they knew was 
stronger than their own. Those men 
made their reputations for "brillian- 
cy" by surprising and defeating small- 
er forces guarding bridges and sta- 
tions out of reach of reinforcements, 
being previously posted by citizens 
who were always their friends in the 
localities attacked. 

Some writers, especially Forrest's 
biographer, claim that the rebel vic- 
tory at Murfreesboro was so disas- 
trous to our cause that it lead to 
Bragg's invasion, and Buell's retreat 
to Louisville; but it is absurd to 
claim that the loss of 1,000 men and 
that small town should lead to such 
results. The facts were that Bragg's 
army had been driven south from 
Corinth and was still confronted in 
Western. Tennessee by Grant's army, 
and in Middle Tennessee by Buell's 
army, and the only hope the rebels 
had was for Bragg to quietly concen- 
trate his army in Eastern Tennessee 
and rush to the Ohio river, expecting 
to beat our army in the race and add 
to his own by new recruits which he 
was induced to believe he would secure 
in Kentucky. But he failed in both 
objects, and was in a losing game 
from that time on to the end of his 
career. Rebel official records now 
show that the raid on Murfreesboro 
by Forrest was planned as a prelim- 
inary to Bragg's invasion of Kentuc- 



24 

ky, which Buell was too slow to dis- the 18th Ohio wounded, Lieut. Wal- 

cover and prevent. lace of Co. D had an ear clipped, and 

_._,,. _ Corporal Edward S. Acker, of com- 

The Tullahoma Companies. p^^y q ^^,^^^ escaped with his pickets 

Companies D, E, F and I had rather from Murfreesboro and was then stay- 
strenuous duties during the summer ing with company D, was severely 
of 1862 in building a large stockade wounded in the hip. Company D re- 
at Tullahoma, guarding the town, ceived special commendation for its 
and guarding railroad trains south to part in this affair in later reports. 
Decherd, and on the branch roads Captain W. Y. Houston was a 
eastward to McMinnville, and west- nephew of the celebrated Gen. Sam 
ward to Winchester. In the latter Houston, and in honor of that uncle 
part of July the men were loaded into Joseph Hanchett and some others of 
wagons one night after ten o'clock, Co. D made a coffin out of a farmer's 
and made a raid with some cavalry wagon box (the only boards they 
to Manchester and captured several could find), and buried him in a sep- 
hundred barrels of flour. arate grave under a large wild cher- 

August 13 on receiving an inquiry ry tree, and Joe is sure he could find 

from General Thomas about the for- it to this day. 

tifications and forces under his com- After the battle Capt. H. R. Mil- 

mand. Major Fox replied, "A few ler, of the 18th Ohio, commander of 

rifle pits — no fortiflcations. Colonel the post (Lieut. J. N. Wallace had 

Wagner's Brigade left last night for command of Company D, of the 

Manchester. I have only 200 infantry. Ninth) desired to send messages to 

150 cavalry, no artillery. Am good the Federal forces at McMinnville and 

for any rebel force of 600 without Manchester informing them of his 

artillery. dangerous situation, but as the mis- 

"D. M. FOX, Major Commanding." sion was so dangerous he called for 

The same day he received the fol- volunteers, and Henry T. Thayer, of 

lowing order: Company C (one of Acker's pickets), 

"Headquarters 1st Division, Dis- volunteered to go to Manchester 

trict of the Ohio, Decherd, Tenn., (eight miles away) and Clinton L. 

Aug. 13, 1862. Lee, Company A, 18th Ohio, volun- 

"Major D. M. Fox, Commanding, teered to go to McMinnville. Both 

Tullahoma. went on foot and got safely through 

"Build at once a strong stockade the enemies lines, and gave informa- 

sufllciently large to accommodate all tion of the critical situation. 

your infantry. When Buell's army was falling back 

"GEO. H. THOMAS, to Louisville our four companies with 

"Major General." two ten pound Parrott guns of Capt. 

About August 24 company D went Swartz's 7th Indiana Battery left 

to a point about six miles south of Nashville Sept. 9th, as a rear guard. 

McMinnville to help two companies On Sept. 10, after passing Gallatin 

of the 18th Ohio infantry build a large they were erroneously ordered to turn 

stockade to guard a bridge there, west towards Springfield, Tenn., but 

About noon, August 29, as our men at night learned their mistaken order 

were out eating, some of Forrest's and returned to the Nashville Pike 

dismounted men crept up a ravine be- the next morning. This put them so 

hind some willow bushes and made far in the rear that at a little after 

a rush for the stockade, which was noon, Sept. 11, 1862, (the records are 

not yet completed; but our men just wrong that give the date as Sept. 

succeeded in beating in the race by 22), near Tryee Springs, Tenn., their 

getting inside first. Then followed a advance guard was suddenly sur- 

severe fight by our two hundred men rounded and captured by rebels that 

against Forrest's whole force of 1,500, were in ambush. Lieuts. Fox and 

which finally resulted in an ignomini- Schofield being mounted rode forward 

ous retreat of the rebels, who left to learn the trouble, and both wor(> 

thirteen dead, including Capt. Hous- shot. 

ton, of the Texas Rangers, and 41 Major Fox at once put his command 

wounded, and it was reported that in good position, sent company I for- 

more than twenty wounded rode ward as skirmishers, and the artillery 

away. The Federal loss was seven of opened on the enemy lively with 





5 s 



E « 
< o 



25 

shells. After about two hours ot camp and prison guard duty, 

skirmishing Forrest withdrew, leaving This the men utterly refused to do, 

several wounded, two of whom died claiming it would be a violation of 

the next day. That was Forrest's their parole oath. For over three 

third encounter with men of the weeks the situation was critical, all 

Ninth. Lieuts. Fox and Schofield, kinds of punishments being threaten- 

and Charles Heckling, of the battery, ed to compel the men to perform 

were severely wounded, and Dr. Cy- guard duty; one punishment being the 

rus Smith, C. B. Andrews of company refusal to let us have any clothing, 

I and a company F man took them to though none of us had had a change 

a hotel and remained with them. In since the rebels took all our surplus 

about a week Lieut. Schofield recover- over a month before. But the boys 

ed so he and his nurse went by a finally won, for on Aug. 18, the daily 

chance conveyance to Bowling Green, papers had an order from the War 

Lieut. Fox died Sept. 23, and Corporal Department that paroled prisoners 

Byron Roath, Co. F, came with an should not bear arms for any purpose, 

ambulance under a flag of truce and when this was shown to the colonel 

took the body to Bowling Green. he consented to let the Orderly Ser- 

Just as Fox died another party of geants draw clothing for the men. 

rebels took comrade Andrews away After that our fare was good. Toss- 

and kept him a prisoner four days j^g unlucky victims in a blanket was 

in an old cotton gin. then paroled him one of the" pastimes, and one day be- 

and he marched "single file" to Bowl- fore the trouble was settled the Ma- 

ing Green. Alex. M. Bennett, Co. D, jor commanding our regiment tried 

was one of the captured advance to stop it, when he was suddenly 

guards. The enemy put him on a siezed and tost until he begged, 
mule led by a kid rebel and hurried j petitioned Gov. Blair to get per- 

them away; but when the fight began mission for us all to go home and 

the mule took fright, broke away stay until exchanged and thus save 

from its leader and ran away with our keeping. He replied he would try 

Bennett into a thicket of brush where to do so, but urged us to be patient 

he was knocked off. He ran and hid and stay there till orders came. (The 

in a straw stack near by and remain- "Rebellion Records" show that Gov. 

ed until after dark, then found his g]j^jj. (jid telegraph the Secretary of 

way back to the pike and went on ^ar, asking to have the regiment 

after his company. The other cap- ^^^^' ^o Detroit). But the time 

tured guards were paroled the next dragged so that the men grad- 

day and followed on. ^,^11^, slipned away by night on 

On reaching Bowling Green, Ky.. p^ench leaVe until so few were left 
the four companies were left to help ^-^^^ ^y chum, Henry Kenyon, and I 
garrison that place, and occupied the decided to go too. We had to go to 
principal fort on the hill in rear of ^ station about ten miles out to take 
the town when the paroled men of ^^le train because the officers had 
the other six companies joined them pieced guards at the depot and six 
Nov. .3, 1862. miles out to keep our men from go- 
Camp Chase to Nashville. ing on the cars. We arrived home 

Camp Chase was located four miles Wednesday Sept 10, but on Monday 

out of Columbus. Ohio, on a plain got news tjat the regiment was ex- 

where the state had erected barracks changed and that all men inj-he state 

to accommodate several thousand '«"«* J^port « Detroit where ^e 

men as a rendezvous for organizing ^vent the next day. havmg enjoyed 

new regiments. At the time of our only five days visit. 



arrival, there was also a large prison 



At that time Kirby Smith was 



there in which were several thousand threatening Cincinnati, and mi^^tia, 
rebel prisoners guarded by state farmers and every one that had any 
militia. The camp was also kind of guns were rushing to its de- 
used to care for Federal f°nce. When we arrived at Camp 
paroled prisoners, the Ninth be- Chqse Adjutant Duffield and Lieut, 
ing among the early arrivals. Wright had gone to Covington with 
The commander of the camp, all of our men, about sixty, who were 
a Colonel Allister, at once or- put on guard near the front with poor 
dered us to do our share of guns and no amunition! They got 



26 

suspicious that they were not yet ex- 
changed and Duffield left for Michi- 
gan to see Gov. Blair about it. 

One night about forty laid down 
their guns and under the lead of Ser- 
geant Bertrand of company G, who 
secured a pass for the party, came 
over to Cincinnati. Our party of 
about twenty-five arrived the night 
before; we were all being fed at a 
city market house, where the citizens 
were feeding everybody free that had 
a gun or a uniform, and finally the 
two parties were brought together by 
some officers who had received notice 
to arrest some Michigan men as de- 
serters, and were placed in the city 
barracks and all held alike as prison- 
ers. I finally got out and went to 
Maj. Gen. Wright, commander of all 
the forces there, and explained the 
matters to him, and after investigat- 
ing it he coucluded the regiment was 
not yet exchanged, and gave me next 
day an order to take the men back 
to Camp Chase, where we arrived 
Sept. 25, to find Capt. Mansfield had 
come. 

In a few days positive orders of ex- 
change came and we started south 
under Capt. Mansfield, arriving at 
Portland, four miles below Louisville, 
Oct. 7, where Lieut. Wright and his 
men joined us soon after. There we 
were united with an "Independent 
Battalion" (the boys called it the 
"Mackrel Brigade"), of over twelve 
hundred men belonging to various 
regiments that had remained in Nash- 
ville to hold that city. A Major Ray- 
mond, of the 51st Illinois, acted as 
Colonel, and Capt. Mansfield as Ma- 
jor. The Ninth men were organized 
into two companies of about fifty 
men each, under command of Lieu- 
tenants Hiram Barrows and Wright, 
the only other officers present. For 
lack of officers all the First Ser- 
geants served as Lieutenants. The 
Battalion was completely clothed, 
armed and equipped like a new regi- 
ment. It started on cars south Mon- 
day night, Oct. 20, to help chase John 
Morgan, who was then at Elizabeth- 
town. Our men under Lieut. Bar- 
rows were left at Salt River bridge 
to strengthen the Home Guards there, 
and when in about two miles of Eliza- 
bethtown we overtook another train 
with the 107th Illinois infantry on 
board. All quietly left the cars and 
formed line, sent skirmishers for- 
ward, and as soon as day dawned wo 



rushed into town. But the rebels had 
fled, though Morgan had barely time 
to dress, and our advance killed a 
captain and wounded a captain and 
four men of his escort. Our Batal- 
ion bivouacked in the grove where 
the Ninth formerly camped, and wait- 
ed for the men left back, and for our 
wagon train of forty wagons. Snow 
fell there an inch deep Saturday 
night, Oct. 25! Cars then ran only 
to Munfordsville, w'here passengers 
walked over Green River on a foot 
bridge, and then took other cars from 
Bowling Green — the large bridge 
there not having been rebuilt after 
its destruction by Bragg's men. 

Our train having arrived we left 
Elizabethtown on foot on Sunday 
morning, Oct. 26, and reached Green 
River at Munfordsville Monday eve- 
ning. Thursday afternoon, Oct. 30, 
we crossed the river single file on 
planks placed on scows, and took the 
cars to Cave City, where we had to 
disembark to wait for other trains. 

While waiting here the first through 
train from Louisville arrived, Satur- 
day, Nov. 1, with the new commander 
of the army. Gen. Rosecrans, and staff 
on board. His train had to wait al- 
so. He got oif and our "Mackrels" 
quickly formed in line and saluted 
him, and he gave us a nice little 
speech, after which we gave him 
"three cheers and a tiger." 

We arrived at Bowling Green by 
cars Saturday evening, Nov. 1, and 
joined the four companies of the 
Ninth in the fort on the hill in rear 
of town on Monday, Nov. 3rd. Our 
100 men and three officers made the 
whole force there of the Ninth 370 
men, with two captains and five lieu- 
tenants, under command of Capt. 
Jenny, Major Fox having gone to 
Michigan with the body of his son 
killed at Tyree Springs. He got ap- 
pointed colonel of the twenty-seventh 
Michigan Infantry, and did not return. 
Capt. Deland also became colonel of 
the Michigan Sharpshooters. 

General Rosecrans kept his head- 
quarters at Bowling Green about two 
weeks, and on Nov. 8 issued the fol- 
lowing order: "Col. S. D. Bruce, with 
four companies of the 9th Michigan 
Infantry, four companies of the 2Sth 
Kentucky Infantry, ten companies of 
tlie 7th Kentucky Infantry, and the 
Konrtli and Eighth Regiments of Ken- 



tucky Cavalry will proceed to clear 
of rebels the country lying between 
Green River and the Cumberland, and 
the Louisville and Nashville Railroad 
from Muhlenburg to Hopkinsville, and 
stop contraband trade in that region. 
By command of Maj. Gen. Rosecrans." 

In a few days after our arrival at 
Bowling Green another rumor got cir- 
culated that we were not yet exchang- 
ed, and there was no little excite- 
ment. Many of the men refused to 
go on duty. Telegrams were sent to 
Col. Duffield and Gov. Blair at Detroit, 
and to Washington; and official re- 
ports now show that for some days 
even the authorities at Washington 
were "balled up" over the matter, as 
they twice sent a dispatch that the 
regiment was not yet exchanged, but 
finally, on Nov. 11 a dispatch came 
from Gen. Boyle at Louisville, saying 
that the regiment was surely exchang- 
ed, the order having been sent to him 
from Washington. We had no more 
trouble over that matter after that. 

Nov. 23rd we were temporarily brig- 
aded with the 2.3rd Michigan, and 
104th, and 111th Ohio regiments with 
Brig. Gen. Gordon Granger in com- 
mand, and had several brigade drills. 

We left Bowling Green Dec. 2, 
marching on the pike, and arrived at 
Edgefield, opposite Nashville, Dec. 5. 
Tuesday, Dec. 16, Capt. Wilkinson, 
company A, Capt. Rounds, company 
B, Lieut. Curry, company K, and Ad- 
jutant Duffield joined us. The next 
day by order of Gen. Thomas we start- 
ed back to Gallatin to garrison that 
town, but while eating dinner at noon, 
nine miles on the way, a messenger 
arrived on a foaming horse with 
an order from Gen. Rosecrans for us 
to return, which aroused tumultuous 
cheering, and we came back to Edge- 
field. The next day we moved to four 
miles south of Nashville on the 
Franklin pike, camping near Rous- 
seau's division. Saturday, Dec. 20, 
Wilkinson received commission as 
Major, and took command. It was 
said that Capt. Loomis persuaded Gen. 
Rosecrans to order us back from go- 
ing to Gallatin on garrison duty, as- 
suring him that the Ninth was a fight- 
ing regiment, and he wanted it assign- 
ed to the brigade he was in; but Gen. 
Thomas chose otherwise. 

The day before Christmas three 
things happened that made great re- 
joicing in the Ninth regiment. First, 



27 

a Court of Inquiry into the affair at 
Murfreesboro reported that the Ninth 
not only did good fighting there, but 
that soon after company D with oth- 
ers badly repulsed Forrest near Mc- 
Minnville, and that the four compan- 
ies also repulsed him again at Tyree 
Springs. It praised the Ninth, and 
laid all the blame for the failures at 
Murfreesboro on Col. Lester, whom 
it cashiered. (The history, "Minne- 
sota in the War," says that four oth- 
er oflficers of the 3rd Minnesota were 
dismissed for cowardice at Murfrees- 
boro). 

Second, in view of this report it 
was reported that Gen. Thomas said 
he had special duties for a regiment 
that had repulsed Forrest three times. 
Whether he did say that or not, we 
got an order that day making the 
Ninth his headquarters guard, and 
we moved to near his tents two miles 
nearer the city that afternoon. 

Third, and greatest of all — Colonel 
Parkhurst arrived that evening, 
which made the boys fairly wild with 
rejoicing. It was like a long absent 
father returning to look after the wel- 
fare of his family, and at once restor- 
ed spirit and confidence to the men 
of the regiment. 

Now notice the changes brought 
about in six months: — Gen. Nelson, 
who cursed and abused us at La- 
vergne, was dead — killed for his 
abusiveness; Gen. Buell, who so mis- 
represented and maligned us in his 
orders, was dismissed from command 
of the army for greater "incompeten- 
cy and bad conduct" than was shown 
by any one at Murfreesboro; and the 
Court of Inquiry cashiered Col. Les- 
ter, the real culprit in the disaster. 
Col. Parkhurst and the Ninth were 
vindicated and honored, and there is 
no doubt that if our beloved Colonel 
Duffield had not been so prematurely 
disabled from the service, he would 
have been given a Star with a prom- 
inent command. 

The report of the Court of Inquiry 
was so favorable that Gen. Thomas 
at once appointed Lieut. Col. Park- 
hurst (soon after promoted to Colo- 
nel), Provost Marshal of the 14th Ar- 
my Corps, which Thomas commanded, 
and the regiment was made provost 
guards of the corps. Thus all our 
malignant enemies had been disgrac- 
ed and punished, and Col. Parkhurst 



28 

and the Ninth vindicated and honored 
by promotions. 

Prom this time on the Ninth al- 
ways camped near Gen. Thomas' 
Headquarters, whether at night on 
marches, or in permanent camps. It 
guarded his office and tents, his sup- 
ply train of 25 to 40 wagons, guarded 
prisoners on the battle field and on 
trains, and stopped our own strag- 
glers, and was the police of his com- 
mand. 

The Stone River Campaign. 

Under Generals Anderson, Sherman 
and Buell the army was called "Army 
of the Ohio," but under Rosecrans it 
was changed to "Army of the Cumber- 
land." 

On Friday, Dec. 26, 1862, this army 
began its movement against Bragg at 
Murfreesboro. The Ninth moved south 
a little on the Franklin pike, and then 
crossed through fields to the Nolen- 
ville pike and marched four miles 
south and camped for the night. Dec. 
27 we went one mile south of No- 
lenville and camped, being sixteen 
miles from Nashville. It rained all 
day and the muddy roads were so bad 
that some of our wagons did not 
reach us till two o'clock at night, 
and some of the companies had no ra- 
tions for supper. Crossed over a mill 
dam single file on planks and timbers. 

Sunday, Dec. 28, we came back two 
miles and marched on a dirt road 
across eight miles to the Murfrees- 
boro pike which we struck two miles 
south of Lavergne, and went south 
to within ten miles of Murfreesboro. 
Col. Parkhurst's diary agrees exactly 
with mine in these dates, routes and 
distances, and Capt. B. H. Stevens 
and Comrade Frank Lester say their 
diaries show that we were on 
the Nolenville pike on Dec. 27. So 
the records that credit the Ninth as 
fighting at Lavergne, Tenn., Dec. 27. 
1862, are wrong. The regiment was 
eight to twelve miles from there on 
another pike that day. The Ninth 
was never in a fight at Lavergne, 
though it had two narrow escapes 
north of there the next week. 

Wednesday, Dee. 81, the great 
battle of Stone River began 
at day-break. Our right wing 
was crushed-, and soon our de- 
feated men came by the hundreds to 
cross Overall's Creek on the Murfrees- 
boro pike where there was the only 



bridge saved by our men in advanc- 
ing. Sergeant E. A. Burnett, company 
B, was the first to see the panic 
stricken men coming, and he rallied 
his company to stop them. But the 
Colonel soon deployed the regiment 
across the road in rear of the bridge, 
letting them come over, and extend- 
ed the line to the right and left to 
the creek, and thus stopped about 5,- 
000 men, including cavalry, infantry 
and artillery. After noon we marched 
them all back across the bridge. Soon 
after the rebel cavalry got in our rear 
and came there to gobble us and burn 
the bridge, but the cavalry and artil- 
lery that we had stopped opened on 
them furiously and drove them away, 
capturing and killing about forty. Be- 
fore night all these stragglers were 
sent to their respective regiments. 
The Ninth received special praise in 
general orders for thus saving so 
many men to again join their regi- 
ments and help in the fight. 

In his official report Colpnel Park- 
hurst said: "On the morning of the 
31st of December the battle was open- 
ed by the enemy attacking General 
Rosecrans' right, which was under 
the immediate command of Major 
General McCook ,and the attack was 
made with such force as to put our 
forces on the right to rout and utter- 
ly demoralize them, and a general 
stampede was the result. Teamsters, 
army transportation, cavalry and in- 
fantry came rushing in confusion and 
terror, and it seemed that the whole 
army had broken and was rushing 
to the rear and for the Nashville Pike. 
My regiment being in the rear of the 
center of the line of battle and at the 
bridge over Overall's Creek on the 
Nashville Pike, and believing that the 
fate of the army depended upon 
checking the stampede and stopping 
the fleeing and frightened troops, 1 
at once put the regiment in line of 
battle extending either side of the 
pike, with fixed bayonets, with flank- 
eds extending on either flank, and 
with orders to stop everything but 
wounded men. I had barely time to 
form when our cavalry rushed upon 
my line with great force and like men 
making a desperate charge, and it 
was with the utmost difficulty that 
we were enabled to check the first 
charge made upon o>ir line, but by a 
free use of the sabre and tlie l);iyonet 
we were enabled to hold the first rush 




MAJOR GENERAL GEO. H. THOMAS 

Affectionately called "Pap Thomas" 

by his Army. 

"The Rock of Chickamauga." 

"He Never Lost a Battle." 



of the cavalry; then came infantry, 
then more cavalry, but by this time 
I had succeeded in organizing the 
fleeing cavalry and forming them in 
line on our flanks, and in placing sev- 
eral pieces of fleeing artillery in po- 
sition. 

I now had a force of about two 
thousand cavalry and about three 
thousand infantry, and eleven pieces 
of artillery in position, and all or- 
ganized from the stampeded and de- 
moralized troops of our army. At 
this juncture the rebel cavalry fol- 
lowing our routed army made a 
charge upon my advanced lines, 
which was handsomely repulsed by 
the cavalry I had organized from the 
troops which but a few minutes pre- 
viously had given way in despair and 
were fleeing for dear life. After the 
repulse of the rebel cavalry our cav- 
alry pursued the enemy till he reach- 
ed the woods to the right of the pike; 
and soon after a brigade under com- 
mand of Colonel Walker, of the 31st 
Ohio, came to my aid from Stewart's 
Creek, and immediately set to work 
organizing the stragglers and sending 
them under a guard, from the 9th 
Michigan Infantry, to their commands 
as fast as their locations were dis- 
covered. For this service the 9th 
Michigan Infantry received a very 
flattering mention by Major General 
Thomas in his report of the battle 
of Slone River. I feel, and have no 
hesitancy in saying, that had not the 
9th Michigan Infantry by her deter- 
mined courage checked the stampede 
of the right wing of General Rose- 
crans' army on the morning of the 
31st of December, the demoralization 
would have extended to the whole 
army, the battle of Stone River would 
have resulted in the defeat of the 
Federal arms, and General Rose- 
crans would have been compelled to 
fall back to Nashville." 

At nine o'clock that night we 
marched onto the battle ground, hear- 
ing the pitiful groans of hundreds of 
wounded, making us realize the hor- 
rors and inhuman savagery of war. It 
was very cold, which must have added 
greatly to the suffering of the wound- 
ed. We did not sleep much lying on 
the ground among the cedars, for at 
three o'clock the next morning, Jan. 
1, 1863, we were aroused and started 
for Nashville to guard a train. After 
we had gone a few miles north of La- 



29 

vergne, Wheeler with about 3,000 reb- 
el cavalry attacked a wagon train be- 
hind us, and burned about 75 wagons. 
A part of the train not captured stam- 
peded onto our rear, and nearly de- 
moralized our teamsters; but the Col. 
onel formed the regiment across the 
road and stopped them, and then we 
waited in line of battle some time ex- 
pecting the rebels to attack us. But 
they did not, but went back and at- 
tacked the Michigan Engineers who 
were building a stockade at Lavergne. 
The Engineers had only an abatis of 
brush around them, but they with- 
stood seven assaults of the rebels, 
who then retreated, having lost forty 
or fifty killed and wounded. We ar- 
rived safely in Nashville and went to 
our former camp at eight p. m., hav- 
ing marched thirty miles that day. 

Saturday, Jan. 3, started back with 
train. When nine miles south a lady 
in a covered carriage came out of 
the woods on our right and told the 
colonel that Wheeler's whole force 
was just over the hill lying in wait for 
us. Corporal B. A. Roath, Company F, 
had captured a nice horse the day be- 
fore, and the colonel sent him as a 
scout ahead of the advanced guard. 
He got too far ahead when eight reb- 
els fired at him from the bushes. One 
bullet wounded his horse in the neck, 
another went through his saddle, a 
third cut away his canteen, and a 
fourth badly tore his coat under the 
right arm. Of course he surrendered, 
and was taken to where the rebels 
were congregated, and it looked to 
him as if there were eight thousand 
of them! They did not molest us, but 
about two hours afterwards a long 
train with amunition came along and 
they attacked that furiously, Roath 
being a witness to the fight. But the 
rebels did not know that a whole 
brigade was guarding that train, and 
they got unmercifully whipped, with 
many killed and wounded. Roath and 
about thirty others were paroled and 
reached Nashville the next day. 

When we arrived at Lavergne the 
Michigan Engineers were again ex- 
pecting an attack, and we stayed with 
them over an hour, but none came. 
The Ninth no doubt escaped a fight 
on both those occasions because the 
rebels were looking for bigger game. 
We arrived at the front late in the 
evening and found Gen. Thomas 
about where we left him, and bivou- 



30 

acked the best we could in the mud, 
rain and cold, gathering cedar twigs 
to help keep us out of the water; 
but the most of us were drowned out 
before morning. Just before dark the 
rebels made their final desperate as- 
sault on our left, but were terribly 
slaughtered by fifty-seven pieces of 
artillery concentrated against them. 
Sunday both armies were rather quiet. 

Monday, Jan. 5, it was learned that 
the rebels had evacuated the city and 
fled south, and the army moved in. 
We passed over a part of the battle 
field and the ground was covered 
with the dead of both sides. 
Col. Parkhurst wrote to his sister 
that day that "It was the proudest 
day of his life when he was permitted 
to enter, with his regiment at the 
head of a victorious army, the town, 
where, but a few months before, they 
had been made prisoners." And the 
regiment was permitted to go into its 
old camp in Manny's Grove, which we 
did with much cheering. 

After the battle Frank Lester 
wrote, "The town is full of wounded 
men and the rebel wounded died by 
the hundreds at first for lack of med- 
icines and surgeons; but we soon aid- 
ed them, and also supplied them with 
rations." 

During the winter and spring of 
1863 the Ninth had to perform heavy 
guard duty at headquarters and 
guarding government property, so 
that at times some men had to go 
on every other day. In addition to 
that forty men were mounted under 
command of Adjutant Duffield or 
Lieut. Hull (changing), who did police 
duty for the whole army around Mur- 
freesboro, arresting drunken and dis- 
orderly men, who were sent to their 
regiments with instructions from Col. 
Parkhurst that they be properly pun- 
ished "By command of Maj. Gen. 
Thomas." The boys soon humorously 
named them the "Forty Thieves." 

On January 25, I wrote, "Our regi- 
ment went foraging last Tuesday, and 
again Wednesday, passing through 
whore our Right Wing (McCook's) 
was driven back and lost so heavily 
on the first day of the battle of Stone 
River. To see the effects of that bat- 
tle one wonders how a single man 
escaped. The underbrush was liter- 
ally mowed down by bullets, the large 
trees did not have a space as large 
as one's hand free from scars, and 



I saw trees from all sizes up to eigh- 
teen Inches in diameter cut down by 
bullets, shot and shell." 

Comrade Frank Lester wrote to his 
folks about this same trip, "I saw 
trees eighteen inches in diameter 
that had been cut down by cannon 
balls." 

Again on Jan. 29, "Our regiment 
went our foraging east of the Nash- 
ville pike. We passed over the bat- 
tle field where our Center fought, 
and saw the same work of destruction 
as mentioned last week about our 
Right Wing." 

Again, Feb. 8, "We used to think 
13 to 16 miles was a good day's march, 
but last Thursday we arose at four 
o'clock, got breakfast and went with 
two other regiments and two guns 
of Church's (Coldwater) Battery and 
200 wagons twelve miles out north- 
east on the Liberty pike; loaded all 
our wagons with forage and returned 
at 8:30 p. m., making 24 miles through 
mud, and fording two rivers. But my! 
we were tired!" 

Again, Feb. 14, "Our last foraging 
trip was in rear of our extreme Left 
where the rebel cavalry frequently at- 
tacked our foraging parties, and had 
sometimes captured a few wagons, 
and so we went three regiments 
strong. Today the Ninth went alone 
in search of forage in a safer locality. 
We went eight miles northwest on the 
Nashville pike, then five miles east, 
and had the luck to find enough at 
one rebel plantation to fill all of our 
thirth wagons. While loading them 
some cavalry appeared in the dis- 
tance. Thinking they were rebels we 
quickly formed in line of battle and 
they did the same. Then they slowly 
approached us and when near enough 
each discovered that both wore the 
Blue. The "lumps" in our throats 
went down! It rained the most of the 
day, and the twenty-six miles' march 
through mud and wading streams, in- 
cluding Stone River after dark when 
returning, kept us busy until 8:30 
p. m., and you can bet we were soak- 
ing wet, cold and tired!" 

The Liberty Raid. 

On Monday morning, April 27, a 
large part of the regiment and two 
companies of the 37th Indiana, in all 
about ^no men, with 54 wagons, start- 
ed for Liberty, a village 20 miles 
south(>ast. Wo niarehod 22 miles 



and camped that night on ground 
where a rebel cavalry force had 
camped the night before. When we 
reached Liberty near noon the next 
day we found General Wagner's and 
Colonel Starkweather's brigades 
there. They had just arrived from 
McMinnville which had just been cap- 
tured by General Reynold's Division, 
to which they belonged. They ex- 
pressed surprise that so few men 
were sent into such a dangerous lo- 
cality. We went after a large amount 
of bacon and some forage that had 
been found, but more especially to 
rescue a large number of loyal fami- 
lies (nearly 200 people in all), who 
had been so pillaged by the rebels as 
1o be in a starving condition. It was 
a pitiful sight to see feeble old men 
and women, and younger women and 
children haggard from hunger, and so 
destitute for clothing and other com- 
forts. The most of their men were 
in our army, largely in Colonel 
Stoke's Tenn. Cavalry, which came 
with Wagner, and helped us to gather 
the people in from a circle of three 
or four miles around, for which pur- 
pose the train and men were divided 
into four parties. All these assembled 
at a point four miles towards Mur- 
freesboro about ten o'clock Wednes- 
day, and started for Murfreesboro via 
Milton on a road farther to the north 
and supposed to be safer; one brig- 
ade going before and the other be- 
hind us and the wagon train, the 
cavalry keeping with the train, and 
also scouting. When we arrived 
Thursday noon, April 30, everybody 
was surprised, because it had been 
reported that we were all captured; 
and on the last two mornings our 
whole army had stood at arms be- 
cause the rebels were so active in 
front. But they made no attacks, and 
were quiet again. 

Card playing was most resorted to 
for whiling away the monotony of carr^^ 
life, but during these warm spring 
evenings, as there were several vio- 
lins in camp, the boys engaged in 
stag dances in our smooth streets. 
No little part of the fun was caused 
at times to distinguish which were 
the "ladies." One evening the offi- 
cers got a lot of negroes from town 
1o give us a sample of negro "shin 
digs." 

In the early spring Capt. Connely 
went to Michigan and found that base 



31 

ball was becoming a popular game, 
and so he brought back a supply of 
balls, bats and bases and a copy of 
the rules. The officers organized two 
clubs and did some playing, but we 
developed no Ty Cobbs before the 
army began the Chickamauga advance 
on June 24, and I never saw any ball 
playing in the army after that. 

During all of this spring Lieut. Col- 
onel Von Schrader, Inspector Gener- 
al on Gen. Thomas' staff pitched his 
tent in our beautifully shaded camp. 
He was a thorough German soldier, 
an expert swordsman and an all- 
around athlete, and for several weeks 
he drilled the officers mornings be- 
fore breakfast in sword drills, "set- 
ting up" exercises, and some took 
boxing lessons. His drills were very 
beneficial to us in developing muscle 
and agility. His "setting up" exer- 
cises were of his own devising and 
not in print. So one day I copied his 
orders and instructions as he was go- 
ing through the drill, and later he had 
it published in pamphlets for the use 
of the army. I still have that original 
"copy" for his pamphlet. 

Aside from ignorance of sanitation 
which killed more than twice as many 
men as were lost in battle, intemper- 
ance was the greatest bane of the 
army. As is usually the case, drunk- 
enness caused nearly all of the "dis- 
orderly conduct" in camp. The pity 
was that it was not confined to a 
minority of the enlisted men, but too 
many officers were equally as bad, 
and in too many cases drunken offi- 
cers caused disasters in battle. The 
time will come when only sober men 
will be wanted in the army, just as 
only sober men are now allowed to 
run our locomotives. 

Nearly every company contained 
one or more jokers — men who seemed 
to never get tired, never got "blue," 
and seemed to need only "half ra- 
tions" of sleep. No day's march was 
so tedious that they could not at its 
close dance a jig, sing a song, tell a 
story or crack a joke. They were the 
last ones to go to sleep and the first 
ones to wake up. Even on the battle 
field their witty tongues were not al- 
ways silent, and no doubt they were 
"blessings in disguise" for the spirit 
of the army. 

On Feb. 12 a little incident occur- 
red that was quite important to the 
writer — he was appointed Second 



32 

Lieutenant and assigned to Company 
F, and soon after the company pre- 
sented him a beautiful sword, belt and 
sash, which he still keeps in grateful 
remembrance of the men of Company 

F. First Lieut. Ephriam Marble made 
the presentation speech. He was a 
veteran of the Mexican war, having 
served in the 15th U. S. Infantry, and 
at this time was acting Commissary 
of the regiment. He was later on 
Gen. Thomas' staff as Assistant Com- 
missary of the Fourteenth Corps. He 
and Major Jenny are the only original 
officers of the regiment living in June, 
1913. 

Wednesday, June 3rd, the regiment 
joined General Negley's Division in 
large fields east of the town and was 
reviewed by General Rosecrans. 
Serg't Charles M. Bertrand, Company 

G, had made a light frame for his 
knapsack that made it set so square 
on his shoulders that it attracted Gen. 
Rosecran's attention. He stopped 
and inquired his name, company and 
regiment, complimented him for the 
neat appearance of his knapsack and 
his whole personal equipment, and 
suggested to the regiment to imitate 
him. Such kind noticing of enlisted 
men was characteristic of General 
Rosecrans. 

Tullahoma and Forward. 

The Ninth started with the army on 
the Tullahoma campaign June 24, 
1863. It immediately began to rain, 
and continued nearly every day for 
two weeks, making the roads almost 
impassible for men, wagons and ar- 
tillery, and swelling the streams so 
they were more difficult to cross. 
Thomas went out on the Manchester 
Pike, and that afternoon Wilder of 
the Left Wing of our army took the 
enemy by surprise and captured Hoo- 
ver's Gap after a brisk fight, which 
the rebels tried in vain to recapture 
the next day. Mc Cook's men on the 
Right Wing captured Liberty Gap, a 
similar strong position, which the reb- 
els also tried to retake the next day. 
These two strong positions were the 
right and left keys to Bragg's strongly 
fortified position at Tullahoma, and 
as our army began to close in on his 
flanks. Gen. Thomas learned July 1st 
that Bragg was retreating. 

Thomas started in pursuit via Man- 
chester, but at Elk river the rebels 
had burned the bridge which so delay- 



ed us that on July 2nd Bragg was 
safely going over the mountains into 
the Tennessee valley, to finally con- 
centrate at Chattanooga. 

The Ninth then went into a camp 
with Gen. Thomas in a beautiful grove 
near Decherd, Tenn. Here a new du- 
ty developed. The hundreds of re- 
covered sick and wounded men now 
returning from northern hospitals 
every day were all sent to Col. Park- 
hurst who detailed members of the 
"Forty" (who were supposed to know 
the position of every regiment) to 
pilot them to their various regiments. 

We also built a "bull pen" about 
25 feet square by standing fence rails 
close together on end in a trench. In- 
to that all the "drunk and disorder- 
lies" of the army so luckless as to be 
nabbed by the vigilent "Forty" (our 
mounted men) were taken during 
each day and evening where they 
were kept till next forenoon, when 
one of the "Forty" took each man to 
his regiment with an order to the 
colonel to properly punish him. "By 
order of Gen. Thomas; J. G. Park- 
hurst, Provost Marshal." Thus the 
army was disciplined. 

Monday, Aug. 17, the Ninth began 
with the army moving over the moun- 
tains for the south. It was tedious 
work getting wagons and artillery up 
the steep, poor roads, but we finally 
reached Bolivar Springs, two miles 
east of Stevenson, Ala., Aug. 21. Com- 
pany C was sent onto a mountain 
about a mile northeast to help estab- 
lish and guard a signal station. 

One morning while camped here 
the writer applied through the colonel 
for an appointment in a negro regi- 
ment, was at once ordered by General 
Thomas before an examining board 
consisting of Gen. Beatty (for many 
years member of congress from Ohio 
after the war), a Colonel and Major. 
then in session at Stephenson, two 
miles away to where he walked, and 
from one to six o'clock that afternoon 
was kept in a "sweat box" by ques- 
tions from those three officers. When 
through the Major privately assured 
him that he had passed a first class 
examination and would receive an 
appointment. It came October 15 
from General Rosecrans as a Captain, 
with an order to report to the 13th 
U. S. Colored Infantry, then organiz- 
ing at Nashville. Lieut. James N. 
Wallace also went with me as cap- 




JOHN G. PARKHURST, in 1865 
Lieut. Colonel and Colonel of the Ninth. Brevet Brig. General; 
Marshal General, Department of the Cumberland 



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33 

tain. If our first officers liad been ready over, and so tlie balance of the 
subjected to as rigid an examination corps is rushing to his aid. Gen Rose- 
as we were, half of them would have crans moved his headquarters to 
stayed at home. Chattanooga today. 

Thursday, Sept. 3, we marched to The Ninth remained in camp wait- 
the Tennessee river and waited for ing for the corps to cross the moun- 
the engineers to lay a pontoon bridge, tain until 10 o'clock Sunday, Sept. 13, 
It was over 1,200 feet across the riv- when, after many hours of hard work 
er here, and it took sixty boats to we got the train up, and crossed over, 
reach across. They laid the bridge it being about five miles across by the 
in just four hours and twenty min- route we took to Cooper's Gap (the 
utes, and the Ninth was the first to most of the corps went down at 
cross on it. Marched seventeen miles Steven's Gap, a shorter route) where 
up on the south side of the river, we descended and marched southward 
and turned to the right up a small up Chattanooga Valley about two 
valley into Raccoon Mountain, and miles to near Steven's Gap 26 miles 
camped long after dark near Moore's south of Chattanooga and camped by 
Spring. The day had been terribly Gen. Thomas. About 10 o'clock that 
hot and dusty, and we were a tired evening Col. Parkhurst gave a warm 
lot, and we did not know but we were supper to Generals Rosecrans and 
all alone in the valley; but about nine Garfield, Charles A. Dana, Ass't Sec- 
o'clock to our surprise a band on top retary of War, and several of their 
of the mountain began to play "The staff officers, all of whom were de- 
Star Spangled Banner," and as the lighted by the unexpected feast, 
music rang out through the still Sept. 14 was a quiet day in our vi- 
night and echoed down the valley cinity, but there was some skirmish- 
thousands of soldiers both in the val- ing at the front, and tlie armies were 
ley and on the mountain began to concentrating. Gen. Rosecrans re- 
cheer, and I never heard that tune mained with Gen. Thomas all day. 
when it was more thrilling and in- Gen. Negley sent 25 prisoners to the 
spiring. Other national airs soon fol- Ninth that he had captured the two 
lowed and the thousands of weary previous days of skirmishing; and, 
soldiers bivouacking there soon for- unfortunately for the writer, I was of- 
got the weary day's marching. ficer of the guard and stayed up with 

It was slow and tedious work get- them all night, and then started on a 

ting wagon trains up the mountains hard day's march without any rest or 

when teams had to be doubled, and sleep. 

in many cases men with long ropes Tuesday, Sept. 15, Company F was 

helped to pull them up. The Ninth sent with twenty-five prisoners and 

had to give others the precedence, nine wagons to Stevenson, Ala., for 

and we went into camp the next day rations for Gen. Thomas' headquar- 

only four miles on top of the moun- ters. One prisoner, an old man 

tain near a mill that was run by a nam.ed Powell, who lived on Lookout 

creek. Raccoon Mountain was about Mountain, cut his throat with a dull 

eight miles across here, fairly level, jackknife just before we reached his 

and there were occassional cleared home, and not believing he would 

patches with log huts occupied by live, we left him there, but sent a 

"poor white trash." message to have our doctor come and 

Sunday, Sept. 6, we went down the treat him, which was done, and when 

mountain at Brown's Spring, and went we returned he was improving. We 

into camp within three miles of Tren- had many experiences and adventures 

ton, in Lookout Valley, near Gen. on this trip, but nothing serious until 

Thomas, where we remained several returning. 

days. Wednesday, Sept. 9, we march- AH day Sunday, Sept. 20, the second 
ed up Lookout Valley five miles to day of the Battle of Chickamauga, we 
Easley's. The 10th we marched about were returning with our train up 
five miles to the head of Johnson's Lookout Valley, in hearing of the can- 
Crook where all of the 14th Corps nonading. We should have gone the 
crossed over Lookout Mountain. En- other way, northward to Chattanooga, 
emy reported to be concentrating in but our orders were to return to the 
force bevond this mountain, threaten- place where we started. We arrived 
Ing Negley's Division which was al- in Johnson's Crook that evening and 



34 

were all the forenoon Monday getting 
the train up the mountain, as teams 
had to be doubled and oive wagon 
taken at a time, and men also push- 
ing behind. 

It is about four miles across the 
mountain here, and as we were about 
to go down at Cooper's Gap at three 
o'clock three regiments of cavalry 
came rushing up like bees swarming 
from a hive. They had been defeated 
by Wheeler's cavalry, and lost all 
their forty wagons and about 200 men. 
We immediately turned our train 
northeast towards Chattanooga, 24 
miles away, all the cavalry deserting 
us but two companies who held the 
Gap and killed seven rebels when 
they tried to come up. The colonel 
commanding the cavalry ordered us 
to burn the wagons and save the 
mules, but we refused, though we ex- 
pected the rebels would soon over- 
take us, for there were two other 
passes where they could come up the 
mountain. Our wagons were loaded 
with rations for Gen. Thomas's head- 
quarters, and we resolved to not aban- 
don them — if captured we would go 
with them. But the cavalry waited 
for us towards nignt, and we felt 
safer. I never experienced such a 
hot and dusty march before nor 
since, but you can bet we made fast 
time, expecting an attack by the reb- 
els every minute. The road on the 
mountain top was fairly level, but in 
places the mountain was so narrow 
that one could look down into the 
valley each side, and in other places 
varying to three miles, well timbered, 
except an occasional cleared patch 
and log dwelling. 

The cavalry left us soon after dark, 
but we did not reach the north end 
of the mountain where the road goes 
down until after midnight. It was 
about a mile down the mountain by 
the most crooked road I ever saw. 
Wagons frequently tipped over at the 
short turns and had to be uprighted 
"by main strength" and reloaded. 
About two o'clock three overturned 
at once and we gave up, discouraged 
and exhausted, and sent the teams 
down to hunt for water. But some 
signal officers soon came down saying 
the rebels would be on the mountain 
there by daylight. So we sent for 
the teams, reloaded the wagons, and 
by hard work reached the foot of 
Lookout at daybreak, Tuesday morn- 



ing, Sept. 22, 1862, just as the head 
of our army was coming in from the 
battle field. (If you hear any one say 
that our army was defeated at Chick- 
amauga just remind them that 
Thomas held his positions all day 
Monday, Sept. 21, unmolested, and 
then quietly retired and took posses- 
sion of Chattanooga, which was the 
object of the campaign.) 

We crossed Chattanooga creek 
and bivouacked to rest and get break- 
fast, but before we had finished to 
our surprise the army had thrown up 
a line of breastworks in our front, and 
another line in our rear. So we pull- 
ed out and went into the city and soon 
found our regiment. They were de- 
lighted to see us for they had conclud- 
ed that we were all captured. The 
rebel flag floated from Pulpit Rock, 
the brink of Lookout, soon after we 
got into town. From Monday morn- 
ing to Tuesday morning company F 
had marched over thirty miles besides 
getting our train up and down the 
mountain, had taken no time to rest, 
eat or sleep, and nearly suffocated 
from dust and suffered much from 
thirst. But we saved the train with 
Gen. Thomas' rations! 

Battle of Chlckamauga. 

Our story left the regiment with 
General Thomas near Steven's Gap on 
the morning of Sept. 15. That day 
Gen. Rosecrans left our camp, and 
near evening Gen. McCook and staff 
camped by us. His corps crossed 
Lookout 17 miles further south, and 
was now hastening north to join in 
the coming struggle. 

It was all quiet near us during the 
16th. Sept. 17th the regiment moved 
with the train north to Dickey's post- 
office on the Chattanooga Valley Road. 
Friday, the 18th, the regiment moved 
with train east to Crawfish Springs, 
where it remained over night. Com- 
rade Frank Lester says that on that 
evening a detail of two men from 
each company took the headquarters 
train and started down the Chatta- 
nooga Valley Road for Chattanooga, 
where, after an all night tedious 
march, they arrived the next morning, 
and camped on the bank of the Ten- 
nessee River. Col. Parkhurst does 
not mention this. 

All night long of the l<Slh Thomas's 
coips was moving northward in rear 
of Crittenden's corps, making its 



35 

memorable "night march over the hill (where his corps was over- 
hill, and through forest and valley," powered) and riding slowly about a 
and at sunrise of Saturday, Sept. 19th, mile and a half, I met Col. Parkhurst 
it was in line on Crittenden's left in with his regiment and men enough — 
possession of the main roads to Chat- whom he had stopped — to make an- 
tanooga on which the enemy (having other regiment of ordinary size, and 
received heavy reinforcements) was who seemed to be well organized, 
planning to rush to Chattanooga. The colonel rode up to me and asked 
Thus, instead of being the center of if I would not take command. I told 
the army as usual, Thomas's corps him no, that he was doing good ser- 
became the left wing and held that vice; and I directed him to hold his 
position all through the two days bat- position and let the artillery, wagons 
tie against the repeated assaults of and wounded pass, and then follow on, 
the greater part of the rebel army. covering the rear." 

On the morning of the 19th the Colonel Parkhurst continued to 
regiment went back to Dickey's post- stop stragglers until he had several 
ollice, on the Chattanooga Valley thousand, held his position, but did 
Koad, and later. Colonel Parkhurst not "follow on" after his superior 
wrote, "by order of the commanding officer, who went to Chattanooga, 
general (apparently Gen. Rosecrans) Early in the stampede Lieut. El- 
took train to Chattanooga and parked kin, of Gen. Baird's staff, reported to 
it on the bank of the Tennessee Riv- Gen. Negley, "Colonel Parkhurst with 
er." He does not tell what train it his provost guards of the Fourteenth 
was, but comrade Thad. S. Vinning Corps is stationed at the Chattanooga 
!-ays he was Corps Wagon Master at road, stopping the disorganized 
that time and had charge of the train, troops, and forming a new line." Gen. 
and that it was the Medical Supply Negley remarked, "To save the army 
(rain. from rout, a new line will have to 

So during all of the first day of the be formed." Making desperate efforts 

great battle the Ninth was guarding in vain to stop the struggling mass, 

that precious train down the Valley Gen. Negley finally came to where 

Road in rear of our army to save it the Ninth had effectually blockaded 

from capture. the pass by its line of bayonets, of 

All accounts agree that at six which he reported. "I found Colonel 
o'clock on Sunday morning, Sept. 20, Parkhurst with the Ninth Michigan 
leaving one company (or the detail Volunteers energetically checking the 
of men) to guard the headquarters stragglers." He joined in the work 
train at the river, Col. Parkhurst of stopping and reorganizing the re- 
started with the remaining eight treating troops, and near evening, 
companies to escort the Medical Sup- moved the whole force of several 
ply train to the field hospital at the thousand to Rossville, and placed 
front, going through Rossville and them in line for defending that im- 
turning south up the Dry Valley portant position. 

Road; but on arriving at McFar- Captain Alfred L. Hough, A. C. M., 

land's Gap, within one and a half in reporting about the repulse of the 

miles of the hospital, Col. Parkhurst right wing and conditions near Mc- 

learned that the enemy had posses- Farland Gap, said. "The only organ- 

sion of the hospital, and he halted ized body I saw there was the Ninth 

(he train there. He wrote in his Michigan, Col. Parkhurst, stopping all 

diary, "About 12 o'clock McCook's persons except the wounded." 

and (Crittenden's corps gave way and In his report of the battle to Gen. 

fell back in great confusion. I sue- Halleck, Gen. W. S. Rosecrans said, 

ceeded in checking them and prevent- "Major General Thomas says that as 

ing a stampede. All the troops went provost marshal at the head of his 

to Rossville later and took up new regiment. Col. J. G. Parkhurst did 

positions. General Thomas saved the most valuable services on the 20th in 

army from utter defeat by his brav- arresting stragglers and in reorganiz- 

cry and heroism. Our loss today has ing the troops who had been driven 

been very heavy." from the field." 

That was all the modest colonel In relating those "most valuable 

wrote in his diary, but General Cril- services" rendered by the Ninth on 

lenden reported that "After leavin,"; l-hat occasion. "Michigan at Chicka- 



36 

mauga," written by Capt. Charles E. 
Belknap, says, "About 12:30 o'clock 
stragglers began to make their ap- 
pearance from the front, and two 
companies, (D and E, under command 
of Capt. Wiggins) were deployed to 
the right and left of the road to halt 
these men and form them into com- 
panies. 

"These men were not demoralized, 
but simply needed leaders or com- 
manders, and cheerfully joined the 
Ninth in their work. In the mean 
time trains, sections of batteries, am- 
bulances with wounded, and camp 
followers with led horses came rush- 
rng in confusion over the road, and 
the entire regiment with bayonets fix- 
ed were formed across the Gap and 
the stampede checked. 

"The artillery was placed in com- 
mand of a Captain Hotchkiss, and 
the stragglers under command of Ma- 
jor Jenny, of the Ninth. The trains 
were loaded with the severely wound- 
ed and in an orderly manner sent 
through the defiles in the hills to 
Chattanooga. Lieutenant Doubblaere, 
with one company, was sent back to 
Chattanooga with the medical train. 
Retiring on this road some distance 
to an open field, the line was again 
halted and General J. C. Davis, hav- 
ing arrived with part of his division, 
assumed command. Later Generals 
Sheridan and Negley came up and 
the lines reformed." 

"Again the Ninth Michigan Infan- 
try was the savior of the left wing 
of the Army of the Cumberland. As 
at Stone River, this gallant regiment 
was in the right place. General 
Thomas' at that stage of the battle 
was the only organized force in po- 
sition of defence. The Corps of Mc- 
Cook and Crittenden were broken and 
in retreat, only parts of the divisions 
and brigades in condition for action 
and very few of them in place. 

"Thomas' au.fJroS.en. lines were one 
and a quarter miles to the left, fight- 
ing for dear life. The only avenue by 
which the remnants of the right wing 
could go to his p.ssistance was the 
Dry Valley Road; and it, and indeed 
the whole valley, was filled with a 
struggling mass of stragglers, wag- 
ons, batteries, ambulances and troops 
of all arms, on a stampede for Chat- 
tanooga, pressed botli by the enemy's 
infantry an^ cavalry. Here the mas- 
ter hand of the Ninth, Colonel John 



G. Parkhurst, placed his veterans with 
bayonets fixed, and every unhurt man 
was halted. The 'rank and file' were 
not panic-stricken, were not whipped, 
but needed some strong hand and 
head to guide. With cheers the men 
rallied on the lines designated, not 
by states and regiments, but the men 
of different states, shoulder to should- 
er. 

"The wounded, and there were 
thousands of them, were passed to 
the rear. The wagons and transpor- 
tation of the army were filled with 
those unable to walk and then sent 
on their way. The artillery was turn- 
ed about, 'the guns shotted,' and 
with new life and courage the gun- 
ners stood at their posts. 

"Soon 5,000 men, good and true as 
ever wore the blue, bid defiance to 
the foe, and the rout was no longer 
a rout of the men who carried the 
musket. Generals, 'tis true, had gone 
to Chattanooga, giving up the field 
as lost, not so the soldiers of the 
ranks. The advance of the enemy on 
the Dry Valley Road was checked 
and the transportation of the army 
saved, as were also thousands of the 
wounded. 

"Had not the Ninth Michigan 
stretched its lines across the narrow 
gap and checked the rout, the enemy 
would soon have swept through with 
a resistless wave, not only captur- 
ing men, wagons and batteries, but 
it would have cut off all lines of re- 
treat to General Thomas towards 
Chattanooga, and caused the destruc- 
tion of the army. 

"If the two roads converging nt 
Rossville had been relinquished to, 
and had been seized by the enemy, it 
would have in all human probability 
sealed the fate of General Thomas' 
command. The influence this judi- 
cious movement exerted over subse- 
quent events may be designated in 
future history as an accident; but it 
was one of those military accidents 
which restored order with equilib- 
rium, and changed the front of a de- 
feated army, and unquestionably 
saved Chattanooga. 

"The soldiers of the Army of the 
Cumberland were students of war. 
They studied the topography of the 
country through which they passed. 
They were not machines, but intelli- 
gent men, quick to grasp the idea of 
battle, as they did later at Mission- 




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ary Ridge — a battle that was not 
fought as planned, and not planned as 
fought — but was a battle of generals 
and privates, in which the matchless 
courage and devotion of those men 
in the ranks out-shone the plans and 
strategy of the generals. The depart- 
ment commander and two corps com- 
manders with their retinue of staff 
ollicers and escorts had gone to the 
rear. They no doubt were whipped, 
but the men with the saber and the 
musket had remained in the woods 
and the mountain jungles to fight it 
out and bring glorious victory to their 
cause. 

"The Ninth alTorded a rallying point 
for the disorganized right, and when 
there came an hour's time in the con- 
tost, regiments, brigades and divis- 
ions came together as if by magic; 
order cume out of turmoil, and the 
morning of the 21st of September 
found these men in ranks eager to 
renew the fray. The men of the right 
wing had not lost courage, but were 
defiant and full of confidence, and 
were disappointed that they were not 
to be led back to meet the foe. 

"It may not be out of place to say 
tliat it was the firm belief of the men 
in the ranks that the enemy were 
badly punished and broken, that an 
advance in force would have met easy 
success. And it is the firm belief to- 
day of the survivors of that bloody 
battle, that a great mistake was made 
in not renewing the attack on the 
morning of the 21st." 

The state of Michigan has erected 
a fine monument bearing a life sized 
statue of Colonel Parkhurst near the 
grounds where the Ninth stopped the 
great stampede. 

The Ninth remained in line of bat- 
tle at Rossville with the reorganized 
troops under command of General 
Negley during the night of Sept. 20 
until two o'clock on Monday morning, 
the 21st, when, on receipt of an or- 
der from Gen. Thomas, the regiment 
again went to the main road leading 
to Chattanooga to be ready to stop 
stragglers if any came from the bat- 
tle that was expected to be resumed 
that day. But, with the exception of 
an artillery duel, no fighting occurred 
— the enemy had got enough. 

During the day Col. Parkhurst ar- 
rested 167 men with arms who were 
skulking to the rear, and sent them 
under guard to Chattanooga, and they 



37 

were later sent to Nashville to be 
courtmartialed for cowardice. 

After lying in line all day undis- 
turbed, the Ninth with the whole ar- 
my quietly retired during the night to 
Chattanooga, where it arrived early 
Tuesday morning, Sept. 22nd. 

The Ninth immediately went into 
camp close to General Thomas on the 
foot of Cameron Hill, which was be- 
tween the city in a bend of the Ten- 
nessee river. The Signal Corps es- 
tablished a station on the top of 
that hill, and several times I had 
the privilege of viewing the rebel 
army, and especially Gen. Bragg's 
Headquarters on Mission Ridge, 
which could be plainly seen through 
their glasses. One day I was present 
when they discovered the "key" to 
the rebel signals so that they could 
readily read them, and they almost 
went wild with joy. 

For several weeks following the 
great battle the army was very scant 
of rations and forage, because every- 
thing had to be hauled by wagons 
from Stevenson, Ala., over fifty miles 
away, and over mountainous roads on 
the north side of the river. Hundreds 
of horses and mules died of starva- 
tion, and at times the men were on 
quarter rations. And to make the 
situation worse, on Oct. 2, Gen. 
Wheeler captured and burned a large 
supply train in Sequatchie Valley, in- 
cluding eight of our headquarters wag- 
ons, and several guards of the Ninth 
were also captured, though paroled 
soon after. But the balance of our 
headquarters train got through and 
the Ninth fared much better than the 
most of the army. 

During the siege all the supplies 
from Stevenson for the army were 
brought across the river over a big 
pontoon bridge that the engineers had 
laid at the upper end of the city. For 
the purpose of destroying this bridge 
the rebels went several miles up the 
river on the south side, cut a large 
number of big logs, made them into 
an enormous raft, and one dark night 
started it down the river. But our 
men were not asleep and got word 
of it in time to make a large opening 
in the bridge, then met the raft, 
piloted it through the opening and 
floated it to one of our saw mills just 
below, where it was later sawed into 
lumber and used for building several 
steamboats, one of which is shown in 



38 

this book. Thus the rebs unwitting- 
ly aided us. 

Those bridges were built, saw mills 
run, steamboats constructed, and rail- 
road bridges built and tracks relaid 
by men from the ranks; and if we 
captured a flour mill or a locomotive 
men were at once found to run them 
— showing that our army was compos- 
ed of men of all trades and profes- 
sions. 

October 16, 1863, the War Depart- 
ment appointed Gen. Grant to com- 
mand the "Military Division of the 
Mississippi," including the Depart- 
ments and armies of the Tennessee, 
the Cumberland, and the Ohio, and 
the same order made Gen. Thomas 
commander of the "Department of 
the Cumberland," succeeding Gen. 
Rosecrans. Thomas assumed the 
command on Oct. 20, several days be- 
fore Grant arrived, and immediately 
began to "do things" to get supplies 
to the besieged army. 

Saturday, Nov. 7, he appointed Col. 
Parkhurst Commander of the Post of 
Chattanooga in addition to his other 
duties, and the 44th Indiana and 15th 
Kentucky regiments were assigned to 
him for post duty; and Nov. 28 the 
18th Kentucky regiment was added. 
Among his first acts Parkhurst se- 
lected grounds for burying the Union 
dead, and this later became the first 
part of the now famous National cem- 
etery at Chattanooga. 

In addition to his many other du- 
ties as commander of the post and 
Provost Marshal of the 14th corps, 
Colonel Parkhurst conducted the in- 
vestigation of all prisoners and de- 
serters from the Confederate army, 
as well as the reports of all the indi- 
vidual scouts and spies of our armies, 
keeping his commanding officers well 
informed of all that was transpiring 
within the Confederate lines. 

During the battles on Lookout and 
Missionary Ridge, Nov. 23 to 25, the 
Ninth continued its duties as provost 
and prisoner's guards. 

Friday, Dec. 25, Christmas, three 
hundred and six of the regiment re- 
enlisted for three years, "Veteraniz- 
ed," and, in accordance with the offer 
of the government for that action, 
Col. Parkhurst received an order to 
take the regiment to Michigan for 
thirty days leave. All those that did 
not re-enlist were assigned to duty 
in the Eleventh Michigan, where they 



remained until March 24, about a 
month after the Ninth had returned, 
when they rejoined the Ninth and 
served out their original three years 
term. 

After waiting three days for a boat, 
on Monday, Dec. 28, the Ninth board- 
ed the steamemr "Paint Rock" (built 
by the army men) for Bridgeport, 
where they took cars for the north. 
They arrived at Louisville at two 
o'clock p. m., Dec. 31, but their fer- 
ryboat had two accidents and did not 
land them in New Albany until dark. 
They were in a drenching rain all the 
afternoon, wet to the skin, and a sud- 
den change froze their clothing stiff 
on their bodies. They built fires on 
the track in the depot to keep from 
freezing while w^aiting for their train. 

No train came and the boys spent 
that awful "Cold New Year" with 
much suffering until toward night the 
citizens kindly gave them a warm 
supper. They left at 9 o'clock that 
evening, but it was so cold the train 
stopped frequently to let steam ac- 
cumulate, and to load on wood, which 
the locomotives then used for fuel. 
They suffered so much on the cars 
(freight) that they layed over at 
LaFayette, Ind., from Sunday noon to 
Monday noon, where the citizens fed 
them, quartered them in the court 
house, and did all they could for our 
comfort, for which the boys will be 
ever grateful. 

Trains ran so slow because of the 
cold that the regiment did not reach 
Coldwater, where it was to rendez- 
vous and reorganize with recruits, un- 
til 11 o'clock a. m.. Tuesday, Jan. 5, 
1864. The boys were much disappoint- 
ed because there were no people at 
the depot. Colonel Parkhurst wrote 
in his diary, "A very cool reception. 
No one met us at the depot." Capt. H. 
Barrows wrote the same words, and 
added, "This town is not only Cold- 
water, but it appears to be a cold- 
hearted town. The people don't seem 
to think soldiers amount to much." 

But probably the reason for the ap- 
parent neglect was the severity of the 
cold, and the fact that the regiment 
had been expected on each train for 
several days and did not come, be- 
cause when the regiment was ready 
to return south the citizens gave them 
two receptions and banquets — one to 
the men and one to the officers. 



The men marched to the barracks 
at the fair grounds north of the city 
and stayed over night, but it was so 
cold there that the next day they 
moved into the Court House, and 
Fireman's and Crippen's halls. 

On Friday, Jan. 8, all the men were 
given furloughs and transportation by 
Col. Parkhurst, which he had been 
to Detroit and secured from the Ad- 
jutant General, and all left for their 
various homes. 

Col. Parkhurst left for the South 
Feb. 5, and on arriving at Chattanoo- 
ga Gen. Thomas immediately appoint- 
ed him "Provost Marshal General of 
the Department of the Cumberland." 

The regiment left Coldwater Feb. 
20. under command of Lieut. Col. 
Wilkinson, who from that time on 
till their muster out was in command 
of the regiment the most of the time, 
though its movements and duties 
were ordered by Col. Parkhurst from 
Gen. Thomas. The regiment had se- 
cured about 200 recruits and left 500 
strong. When near LaFayette, Ind., 
the train ran off the track demolishing 
four cars, and about 25 miles south 
of Indianapolis the train again ran 
off, eight cars being smashed or tip- 
ped over, but fortunately not a man 
was hurt. 

On reaching Chattanooga Feb. 29, 
the regiment resumed its duties as 
provost guard at Gen. Thomas' head- 
quarters, guarding the military pris- 
on, and also guarding prisoners on 
trains to Knoxville and Nashville. 
About 100 recruits had been sent 
there in advance during January, and 
later in the year the regiment was 
filled with recruits to a full regimen- 
tal number. 

The Atlanta Campaign. 

The armies under Buell, Rosecrans, 
Grant and Sherman each had a Right 
Wing, Left Wing and Center, and in 
each one Gen. Thomas commanded 
the Center, which also had the most 
men. During the Atlanta campaign 
the Ninth took charge of rebel pris- 
oners on fields and on trains north, 
and was in care of Gen. Thomas' 
Headquarters. It started out with 
him on May 4, 1864, and was with 
him in the following battles and 
movements: 

Tunnel Hill, Buzzards Roost, Rocky 
Face, May 5 to 12. Snake Creek Gap, 
May 12. Resaca, May i:^ to 15. 



39 

Adairsville, May 17 to 18. Kingston, 
May 19. Euharlee, May 23. Burnt 
Hickory, May 24. Dallas, Pumpkin- 
vine Creek, AUatoona, May 25 to 30. 
New Hope Church, May 31. Big 
Shanty, June 10. Movements about 
Kenesaw Mountain, June 10 to July 
2: — Pine Mountain, June 14; Lost 
Mountain, June 15 to 17; 
Pine Knob, June 19; Assault 
on Kenesaw, June 27. Vining's Sta- 
tion, July 4, 5. Chattahootchie River, 
July 6 to 17. Peach Tree Creek, July 
19, 20. 

Siege of Atlanta, July 22 to Aug. 
25. One day during the siege the 
headquarters camp was so near the 
front that the rebel sharpshooters and 
artillery recognized it as of some head- 
quarters and directed a fire on it. 
Private James Quinn, company H, 
was wounded so that he died Sept. 18. 
Gen. Thomas directed that the camp 
be moved to one side out of range of 
the rebel fire. 

Flank movement around Atlanta 
via the west on Jonesboro, Aug. 25 to 
29— Mount Gilead Church, Aug. 27; 
Red Oak, Aug. 28; Jonesboro, Aug. 
30 to Sept. 1. Over 1,600 prisoners 
were taken at Jonesboro who were 
listed and sent north on trains in 
lots of 500 per day guarded by mem- 
bers of the Ninth and two other regi- 
ments, all under the orders of Col. 
Parkhurst. 

Lieut. Frank A. Palmer writes: 
"While on the Atlanta campaign 
march (Capt. H. Barrows mentions 
this on May 25), an incident occurred 
whereby the 9th found itself in rath- 
er a dangerous and doubtful position. 
While on the advance, Gen. Thomas' 
headquarter train and guard were giv- 
en special privileges, if circumstanc- 
es permitted, whereby the use of the 
highway that would not interfere with 
the advance of other troops, was as- 
signed to them. 

On the occasion mentioned, Gen. 
Hooker, commanding the right wing 
of the army, had taken a road to the 
west of the road assigned to the 9th 
and its train, which road veered to 
the west, thus opening up a gap be- 
tween the center and the right wing; 
the road assigned to the 9th took us 
right through the gap, and not until 
descending quite a hill into a small 
valley, late in the afternoon, did we 
discover our situation, and probably 
would not have done so then only for 



40 

the fact that a detail of cavalry scouts 
who were stationed on top of the hill 
on the other side of the valley dis- 
covered us first as being Federal 
troops, and hastened to meet us with 
the information that we were in dan- 
gerous territory, that the left wing 
of the rebel army was camped just 
over the hill beyond, and he and his 
companions were watching them. Or- 
ders were at once given to park the 
train in an open field where we had 
halted; extra ammunition was issued 
to all and orders given to remain per- 
fectly quiet until further orders. Aft- 
er some little time the train was 
about faced and started on the road 
back, and later the regiment was or- 
dered to follow. It was then nearly 
dusk, and soon after started to rain, 
and was so dark that it was difficult 
to keep in the road or see our com- 
rades in front of us. About midnight 
one of the advance wagons had the 
misfortune to break an axle, bringing 
the train and regiment to a halt. Aft- 
er standing for some time in the mud 
and water an order was passed down 
the line to make ourselves as com- 
fortable as we could, until further or- 
ders. It being so dark we did not 
dare move out of our tracks, so just 
had to sit or lie down in the mud. 
Just as daylight began to show, the 
wagon having been repaired so it 
could be moved, we fell into line and 
began to move on, and it was not un- 
til about nine o'clock in the forenoon 
when we reached Gen. Thomas' head- 
quarters, receiving "a scolding" for 
our escapade, and congratulations 
for our narrow escape with the train." 

Here are some extracts from let- 
ters written by Comrade Frank Les- 
ter, Company C, during the Atlanta 
campaign: 

"Ringgold, Ga., Friday, May 6, 
1864. AVe left Chattanooga May 4 
about nine a. m., and reached this 
place about sunset, having marched 
about 25 miles, carrying our knap- 
sacks and three days' rations — a hard 
march for the first day. We were as- 
signed to duty at headquarters." 

"Camp near Big Shanty, June 18. 
(This is the place where the Andrews 
Raiders captured a locomotive two 
years ago). There has been a contin- 
uous roar or artillery and musketry 
all day. The rebels have a good po- 
sition in the ranges of the Alatoona 
mountains, and seem determined to 



fight hard before retreating. We have 
taken a good many prisoners during 
the last few days." 

"Camp near Marietta, Ga., Sunday, 
June 26. There is an average of 50 
to 100 prisoners sent to Chattanooga 
daily. Last Monday we sent 300, the 
most we have sent at any one time. 
A good many rebels are deserting and 
coming into our lines every day. Sat- 
urday night the rebels were driven 
out of their breastworks, which were 
the strongest 1 have yet seen. The 
trees were literally cut to pieces by 
the shell and bullets. Tuesday and 
Wednesday was the hardest cannon- 
ading we have heard." 

"Near Kenesaw. Mountain, July 2. 
Our lines were advanced last night 
but not until many hours hard fight- 
ing. Our men filled boxes and bar- 
rels with sand and pushed them be- 
fore them as they 'crawled' along 
towards the enemy, and drove them 
back without losing many of our 
men. Our lines are now about 30 
rods apart, but both sides have good 
breastworks, and the first man that 
looks over gets a hole through him." 

"Tuesday, July 12. I returned from 
Chattanooga last night where we went 
with 500 prisoners. We have taken 
nearly 5,000 during the campaign so 
far. We are now ten miles from At- 
lanta. It is very hot now, but we 
have plenty to eat and the boys are 
in fine spirits." 

"Friday, July 29, camped near At- 
lanta. We have a string of prisoners 
at headquarters a 'mile long.' The 
rebels shelled us out of our last camp 
and we moved to the rear last Mon. 
day. Some of the shells tore down 
several of our tents." 

"Saturday, Aug. 6. We have over 
300 prisoners today, and they keep 
coming in. 

"The bridge over the river (Chat- 
tahoochee) has been finished and the 
cars now run to our lines. (This 
shows how rapidly the army engi- 
neers rebuilt bridges and repaired the 
railroad so Ihat supplies were brought 
with little delay). We have 300 pris- 
oners today." (Every day during this 
campaign the Ninth was receiving and 
sending to Chattanooga more or less 
prisoners). 

"Camp near Chattahoochee River, 
Sunday, Aug. 28. A detachment from 
the Ninth is in camp here guarding 
400 deserters whom we brought from 



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1 



WILLIAM H. WILKINSON 

Captain, Major and Lieut. Colonel 

Commanded the Ninth from Feb. 5, 

1864, to its Muster Out, Sept. 15, 1865 



41 

Chattanooga. We have orders to during the Atlanta campaign, the 
turn them over in the morning, when movements and duties of each regi- 
we will go on to the regiment, which ment being generally different, and 
is now near the city." under the direction of Colonel Park- 

"In the field 25 miles south of Atlan- hurst. The two regiments marched 
ta, Sunday, Sept. 4. We have just together from Atlanta to Chattanooga, 
completed one of the greatest raids having in care a long train of ninety- 
of the campaign. We moved to the six wagons with six-mule teams, and 
right and got in rear of the rebels, thirty-two ambulances, with Thad. S. 
tore up the Atlanta and Montgomery Vining, of Company C as Wagon 
railroad, and then moved onto the Master of the Army of the Cumber- 
Macon railroad. The rebels tried hard land. The brigade was discontinued 
to stop us and we had one of the when the Ninth went to Nashville in 
hardest fights of the campaign, but March, 1865. 

we drove them from the road, tore When Gen. Thomas went to Nash- 
it up, and took possession of Jones- ville to organize an army to oppose 
boro Sept. 1." (The Ninth took ac- Hood, Col. Parkhurst went with him, 
five part in destroying the railroads), but the Ninth remained as a part of 

About 3,000 prisoners were taken the garrison to hold Chattanooga, 
there, but 2,000 of them were exchang- The guard duty of the never-to-be-for- 
ed in a few days, and others were gotten winter campaign at Chatta- 
sent north by Colonel Parkhurst, as nooga, with Hood's despairing forces 
previously stated. preying upon our outskirts, was ar- 

On Thursday, Sept. 8, the Ninth duous in the extreme, 
marched to Atlanta and went into a The Ninth also guarded steamboats 
very comfortable camp in the north on the Tennessee river up to Knox- 
part of the city, and resumed its du- ville and down to Decatur, Alabama. 
ties as provost guards, which became After the battle of Nashville Gen. 
quite arduous. Thomas was made commander of 

Again Frank Lester wrote: "Atlan- "The Military Division of the Ten- 
ta, Monday, Oct. 24. The regiment is nessee," which included all of Ken- 
still with General Thomas' Headquar- tucky, Tennessee and Northern Mis- 
ters. The boys are interested in the sissippi, Alabama and Georgia, with 
coming election. Every loyal soldier headquarters at Nashville, and he 
will vote for Lincoln. The rebels want again promoted Col. Parkhurst to 
McClellan elected and when our Provost Marshal General of that Di- 
prisoners heard he had been nominat- vision. 

ed" th^ gave him three cheers." We of the "rank and file" had but 

ji^G|4tp5er 29, General Thomas start- a faint idea of the amount of work 
editor Nashville to organize an army and responsibility that was entrusted 
to oppose Hood, and on Monday, Oct. to Col. Parkhurst. He had charge of 
31, the Ninth left for Chattanooga our scouts and spies; interviewed 
with Headquarters train and office and "pumped" rebel deserters, from 
equipments. They had a long train, whom it was said he could get more 
it rained nearly every day so they had information than any other officer in 
to sleep under the wagons for shelter the army, and he had to take charge 
part of the time, and it was so mud- of all rebel prisoners captured by 
dy and the march so tedious that they Thomas' army. Over 1,600 prisoners 
did not reach Chattanooga until Sun- were captured at Jonesboro in one 
day, Nov. 6. But that was in time day, and at Nashville over 4,000 were 
to give all the "Boys" over 21 an op- taken in one day. Van Home's "Life 
portunity to vote on Tuesday, Nov. of General Thomas" says, "According 
8, for Abraham Lincoln, which the to report of Colonel Parkhurst, Pro- 
most of them gladly did. vost Marshal General of the army, 

On June 1, 1864, the Ninth and Hood lost during the Tennessee in- 
Twenty-Second Michigan Infantry vasion over fifteen thousand men by 
were organized into a brigade design- capture and desertion." All of these 
ated as the Reserve Brigade, Depart- and those taken during the Atlanta 
ment of the Cumberland, with Col. campaign under Thomas passed 
Heber La Favour, of the 22nd the through Parkhurst's department, 
commander, and both regiments act- Lists of them had to be made, and 
ed as Provost Guards of that army then all sent under guards to north- 



42 

ern prisons. Of course he had aids, 
Adjutant DufTield being one of them 
for a long time, and at times one, 
two, and at one time three regiments 
besides the Ninth performed that 
guard work on the field and on trains 
under his command. He also issued 
and refused passes to the hordes of 
citizens who wanted to come into or 
go through our lines for all kinds of 
purposes, loyal and disloyal, and so 
he had to be on the alert for the dis- 
loyal ones. For example, for several 
weeks before and after the battle of 
Nashville no citizens were allowed to 
ride or ship goods on the railroad 
south of Louisville without his per- 
mit; and the same rule applied to all 
the roads south of Nashville — he con- 
trolled them for military purposes. 

The following cut from a daily pa- 
per at the time shows a sample of 
Parkhurst's orders: 

"Headquarters Department of the 
Cumberland, Office Provost Marshal 
General, Nashville, Feb. 19, 1865. 

"On and after the 22nd inst. no 
citizen not in Government employ will 
be permitted to come to Nashville 
over the Louisville and Nashville 
Railroad except upon a military pass 
from these headquarters. 

By command of Major General 
Thomas. John G. Parkhurst, Col. and 
Provost Marshal General." 

Feb. 16, 1865, Gen. Thomas sent him 
into Northern Mississippi with staff 
and escort under a flag of truce, and 
he arranged with Generals Forrest 
and Taylor for the exchange of sev- 
eral thousand prisoners, which were 
later passed north and south through 
Vicksburg. Of the Federal prisoners 
thus exchanged, 1,866 left Vicksburg 
for their northern homes on the ill- 
fated steamer "Sultana," and 1,101 
of them cruelly perished when that 
boat was destroyed by explosion and 
fire just above Memphis on the morn- 
ing of April 27, 1865. 

On his return from that mission, 
March 23, General Thomas compli- 
mented Colonel Parkhurst for his suc- 
cess, and then suggested that he or- 
der the Ninth to Nashville, which he 
did. Captain S. A. Wiggins, of Co. E, 
was on Gen. Thomas' staff and in 
charge of the Military Prison at 
Chattanooga from September, 1864. 
to September, 1865, and Company E 
and enough otlicr men to make his 



force 100 were left with him for sev- 
eral months to guard that prison. 

The regiment arrived at Nashville 
by rail on March 29, and was at once 
assigned to duty by General Thomas 
as guards for his headquarters, and 
also at the Military Prison there. Men 
of the Ninth guarded the notorious 
guerrilla. Camp Ferguson, from pris- 
on to court and back during the sev- 
eral weeks of his trial. (He was con- 
victed of over 100 cold-blooded mur- 
ders, and the writer witnessed his 
execution by hanging on Friday, Oct. 
20, 1865). 

Comrade Frank Lester wrote, 
"Nashville, April 16, 1865. Yesterday 
morning there was to have been a 
grand military parade here and at 
night an illumination of the city. That 
morning the flags floated from every 
house and every one was rejoicing 
over the good news of Lee's surrend- 
er. 

Just then the news came that the 
President was dead — that he had been 
assasinated! Then everything was in 
a turmoil. No one believed it at first 
and the men rushed to the telegraph 
office and to Headquarters to learn 
if it was true. Every one was dum- 
founded and did not know what to 
say. At noon every flag was at half 
mast, and was tied with black crepe. 
All the business places in the citj' 
were closed and every military head- 
quarters was a place of mourning. 
There were several men shot by 
guards because they rejoiced over 
the death of Lincoln. A strong patrol 
was kept through the city all night." 

"Nashville, April 23. There was a 
grand display here on Wednesday, 
the 19th. All the soldiers in the city 
led the procession, then came Gen. 
Thomas and his staff and others with 
their staffs, then the hearse-wagon 
drawn by twelve horses, one black 
and one white horse in each span. 
The wagon had three platforms. On 
the top one was the Stars and Stripes. 
The wagon was trimmed with black 
and white. After this came the fire 
companies and all the other societies, 
and then came the citizens. It was 
estimated that there were 40,000 in 
the procession, as it took an hour and 
40 minutes to pass a given point. The 
soldiers all mourn the loss of Lincoln, 
our great martyred leader." 

On June 25. 1865. about 100 men of 
the 18th Michigan Infantry whose 



term of service had not expired were 
temporarily assigned to the Ninth be- 
cause the 18th was to be mustered 
out the next day. In a measure that 
may account for the larger enroll- 
ment given the Ninth in "Michigan 
in the War." 

The regiment continued at Nash- 
ville performing the same general 
services until September 15, 1865, 
when it was mustered out of the ser- 
vice, and the day following, in com- 
mand of Lieut. Col. Wilkinson, left 
for Michigan, arriving at Jackson on 
the 19th, and on the 26th and 27th 
was paid off and disbanded. 

On recommend of Gen. Thomas, Col. 
Parkhurst was made Brevet Brigadier 
General May 22, 1865, and he held 
his position on Thomas' staff until 
mustered out of the service Nov. 10, 
1865. 

As early as June 24, 1862, the Ninth 
had attracted such favorable atten- 
tion that O. D. Green, Assistant Adju- 
tant General at Nashville Headquar- 
ters in an official letter recommend- 
ed the regiment to General Buell who 
was then at Huntsville, Ala., for his 
headquarters provost guards, and 
Lieut. Colonel Parkhurst for provost 
marshal on his staff. 

The Ninth was assigned to General 
Thomas because he desired a few 
men as provost guards for his (the 
14th) corps; the Ninth numbered 
only 350 when it arrived at Nashville 
in December, 1862, and General 
Thomas had got a favorable impres- 
sion of the regiment because of its 
fighting at Murfreesboro in July, a 
fact that had just been established by 
the Court of Inquiry about that bat- 
tle. As the regiment increased in 
numbers by the return of the ex- 
changed officers and men. increased 
duties developed for it to perform. 
The regiment held its position be- 
cause the men and officers took great 
pride in being the special guard for 
General Thomas whom they delighted 
to honor, and so did all they could 
to please him. Second. Col. Park- 
hurst's legal ability made him a use- 
ful member on the general's staff to 



43 
decide legal questions for manage- 
ment of the loyal and disloyal citi- 
zens; and his training as a lawyer 
fitted him for "pumping" information 
from citizens and spies (in which he 
excelled) and instructing our own 
scouts and spies, thus keeping Gen. 
Thomas informed about the citizens 
and the enemy. Thus, because of 
dilligence in duty and industry in use- 
fullness, both the regiment and its 
colonel were kept with Gen. Thomas 
several months after the close of the 
war when most other regiments had 
left the service. 

Comrade H. C. Rankin writes, "The 
Ninth saved the day at Stone River, 
and again at Chickamauga by stop- 
ping thousands of stragglers and 
turning them back to their regiments 
when they were sorely needed. 

"The Atlanta campaign from May 
4, 1864, when we left Chattanooga, un- 
til Sept. 6, when we entered Atlanta 
on the south side from Jonesboro, was 
the greatest campaign of modern 
times. 

"For ninety successive days there 
was not an hour, perhaps not a min- 
ute of the time when cannonading 
or musketry, shot or shell, firing sin- 
gly or by vollies, could not be heard. 
It' was one continuous battle from 
Ringgold to Atlanta. Somebody was 
under fire all the time. We had to 
fight for every inch's advance. 

"To have been Thomas' Headquar- 
ters Body Guard, and to have helped 
to make "it possible for the great Vir- 
ginian to push back the enemy 100 
miles through his own country, was 
glory enough for one regiment." 

During the larger part of its ser- 
vice the Ninth was the trusted body 
guard of General Thomas, and pro- 
vost guard of the different armies he 
commanded, receiving his entire con- 
fidence for courage and fidelity in the 
discharge of duty, which on marches 
and battle fields was arduous. On 
two occasions, at Stone River and 
Chickamauga, the regiment received 
special commendation in general or- 
ders for valuable services in restor- 
ing several thousand lost and panic- 
stricken men to their regiments at 



44 

times when their help was sorely 
needed. That both Col. Parkhurst 
and the Ninth performed their duties 
well and meritoriously must be evi- 
dent or they would not have been 
so constantly advanced and kept in 
such important positions of trust and 



responsibility all through the war 
under the immediate eye of "The 
Rock of Chickamauga." Repeated 
compliments coming from such a 
source give the regiment an endorse- 
ment scarcely equaled by that of any 
other regiment in the service. 



The Ninth Michigan Infantry Association 

"One Country, One Language, One Flag." 

By Henry C. Rankin 



Tradition rather than history marks 
the origin of the Ninth Michigan In- 
fantry Association. As the early his- 
tory of Nations, Greece, Rome, Per- 
sia, Germany, the beginnings of our 
association are involved in obscurity. 
Various legends have been in vogue, 
each claiming to have given rise to 
what we call our reunions. As an- 
cient cities strove for the honor of 
Homer's birth, so Detroit, Jackson, 
Fowlerville, Portland, claim this later 
honor, the founding of the Ninth 
Michigan Infantry Association. 

In 1866 there was a meeting of 
some Ninth Michigan men in Detroit. 
In October, 1868, there was an inform- 
al gathering of ex-soldiers of the 
Ninth at the old Hibbard house in 
Jackson. No regular reunions, so far 
as we knew, of any Civil War regi- 
ment were held at that time. The 
idea was new to us. During the next 
ten years other informal meetings 
took place. A semi-organization was 
made in 1872 at Jackson. Officers 
were chosen. No set time was ap- 
pointed for another meeting, hence 
this organization fell into disuse. De- 
troit, Fowlerville, Portland, Cold- 
water, Lansing and other towns in 
the seventies endeavored to form a 
reunion of the ex-soldiers of the 
Ninth. 

Lack of available written records 
are the veils of obscurity, which, in- 
tervening, together with the final 
mustering out of so many of the 
Ninth's citizen-soldiers, may keep 
from posterity the exact facts in the 
case. Hence this brief resume of our 



association from best records obtain- 
able. 

This we do know for certainty that 
during the reunion of the soldiers and 
sailors of south western Michigan 
held at St. Joseph in August, 1883, a 
few of the Ninth did effect a perma- 
nent organization. Comrade John 
Mater, of Dowagiac, was elected pres- 
ident for the ensuing year. Comrade 
W. F. Hurlbutt, secretary-treasurer. 
Twenty-two ex-soldiers at St. Joseph 
formed the mucleus of our regimental 
association. The dues were placed 
at five cents to be used to get in 
touch with as many P. O. addresses 
of the veterans as possible. Almost 
the entire night of August 22 was 
spent in talking over old times and 
making preparations for future re- 
unions. 

August 21, 1884, the association 
met in a grove under a big tree near 
Battle Creek. President Mater called 
the assembly to order. H. M. Duffield, 
Capt. Marble, Capt. Carris, George L. 
P'isher, and some thirty other Ninth 
Michigan men were brought together 
during the day. A letter was read 
from General W. W. Duffield. others 
from other ex-soldiers. Comrades 
Duffield and Marble made enthusias- 
tic speeches commending in strong 
terms the idea of annual reunions. 
Upon invitation of Geo. L. Fisher 
backed by his Post and W. R. C. the 
association voted to go to Fowler- 
ville in '85. Gen. W. W. Duffield was 
chosen president, H. C. Rankin vice- 
president, W. W. Hurlbutt secretary 
and treasurer. The dues, on motion, 
were raised to ten cents per annum. 




NINTH MICHIGAN MONUMENT 
at Chickamauga Park 




HON. HENRY C. RANKIN 

Company C. 

President Ninth Michigan Association 



One hundred four names and address- 
es, through dint of considerable ef- 
fort, were on the roll at the close of 
the Battle Creek meeting. 

Wednesday, Aug. 12, 1885, Fowler- 
ville set a great pace for future re- 
unions. There had been a business 
meeting held the evening before, fif- 
ty of the Ninth being present. It was 
voted, then, to meet the incoming 
trains on the morrow, the Boys 
marching, as of old, headed by the 
Fowlerville cornet band. The next 
day brought a hundred other Ninth 
Michigan men. To see them scan the 
faces of each other, the Boys on the 
platform greeting those alighting 
from the various trains; to watch 
mutual recognition; to observe, even 
then,, war-worn and furrowed faces 
light up eargely, with more than 
brotherly affection when they could 
recall one another; again to see the 
looks of disappointment when some 
found 21 years too long an interval 
to recollect with distinctness — these 
were common occurrences. Other 
memories, however, were induced, 
later in the day, to come out of their 
hiding places, thus revealing many 
old-time reminiscences supposed to 
be forgotten. Acting president Ran- 
kin had a busy time at Fowlerville; 
Col. Parkhurst served in the humble 
capacity of assistant secretary. All 
the old Co. K Boys played host. Fish- 
er was here, there, everywhere taking 
care of the guests. John Gilluly Post. 
No. 114, G. A. R., the W. R. C. and the 
ladies of Fowlerville extended every 
possible courtesy to the visitors. One 
comrade had walked 25 miles to get to 
a train. Several had driven 50 miles, 
others had made what seemed, then, 
to be great sacrifices to be on hand. 
It was our first great reunion, 169 of 
the Boys enrolled. There was a rous- 
ing banquet, with many patriotic 
toasts; there were hours and hours 
of story-telling and face to face Col- 
loquies; the greetings were cordial, 
the partings at the close, regretful. It 
was a great home-coming, as it were, 
and we all enjoyed it thoroughly. Col. 
Parkhurst was chosen president for 
the following year, Lieut. Curry, vice 
president, Comrade Rankin, secretary- 
treasurer. 

The next year (1886), the Associa- 
tion met at the old Biddle House in 
Detroit. There was a much smaller 



45 

attendance than the year before at 
Fowlerville, but Comrades Duffield, 
Starkweather, Fales, Andrews, Guth- 
ard, Cole, and other Detroit men put 
forth their best efforts to make the 
Boys feel at home. The regiment went 
by the steamer Sapho to visit Fort 
Wayne. A business meeting was 
held on the steamer, Comrade Rhodes 
beating the assembly call. The dues 
were raised to 25 cents at this meet- 
ing. In the evening there was a camp 
fire held at the Biddle House during 
which time, more slumbering, war- 
time recollections were awakened. 
Lansing was chosen for the next re- 
union, Capt. Starkweather was made 
president and Capt. Dobbelaere sec- 
retary-treasurer. 

August ;31, 1887, we met in the State 
House. Among other good things 
were the patriotic recitations and war 
songs of a Miss Mabel Plummer with 
whom the comrades were so pleased, 
that, on motion of Capt. Marble, they 
elected Miss Plummer daughter of the 
regiment. At this reunion. Col Park- 
hurst, in the name of the Association, 
presented to the Military Museum in 
the capitol a picture of a group of the 
Ninth's officers taken at Chattanooga 
in 1864. A camp fire was held in 
Representative Hall in the evening 
during which time certain state offi- 
cials were orators of the occasion. 
Capt. Dobbelaere was the toastmaster. 
Capt. Marble was made president for 
the ensuing year. Comrade C. A. Kel- 
ley, secretary-treasurer. 

Grand Ledge entertained the asso-^ 
elation in 1888. There was a fine 
program. The Grand Ledge cornet 
band was in attendance. Fisher sang 
the Army bean. Miss Plummer again 
sang and recited, there was a good 
banquet, and a good time generally. 
Capt. Marble was re-elected president 
for the next year, C. A. Kelley, secre- 
tary-treasurer. Fowlerville pressed 
the Boys to return for their 1889 re- 
union. Remembering what a send- 
off we had in '85, this invitation was 
gratefully accepted. 

The second Fowlerville reunion 
(1889) made headquarters at Comrade 
Fisher's home. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher 
played host and hostess that day to 
a pretty big family. The yard and 
house were fitly decorated for the 
occasion. Lieut. Curry delivered the 
oration. Fulsome resolutions were 
drafted in commendation of the Fish- 



46 

ers and other Co. K comrades and the 
good citizens of Fowlerville for an- 
other pleasant and memorable re- 
union. A letter was read from Gen. 
W. W. Duffield and many others from 
absent comrades at the evening camp 
fire at Fisher's home. This reunion 
is memorable for the many tete-a-tetes, 
an especial era of good feeling pre- 
vailing. 

August 26, 1890, we met at Penton, 
president Fisher in the chair. Rev. 
Mr. Kennedy delivered a most wel- 
come and memorable address which 
was responded to by General W. W. 
Duffield in characteristic, gentle 
words of tenderness and warm ex- 
pressions of fraternal regard for the 
men who marched with him in 1861. 
Those who heard the courteous old 
commander will never forget those 
fatherly anxieties and admonitions. 
Capt. Dobbelaere was made assistant 
secretary, C. B. Andrews, secretary- 
treasurer; Lieut. C. R. Brand, presi- 
dent for the next reunion to be held 
in 1891 at the time of the National 
Encampment at Detroit. 

This reunion (1891) was in point 
of numbers the greatest of all since 
the war closed. Three hundred twen- 
ty-nine ex-soldiers answered to their 
names when the roll was called. De- 
troit was crowded to its utmost capa- 
city during this high tide of Encamp- 
ments, State and National, three de- 
cades after the Civil War began. The 
Association found quarters In the 
Barstow^ school building where they 
were called to order under not very 
promising conditions for holding a 
reunion, but receiving a cordial invi- 
tation from Judge Brown at his com- 
modious home, 702 Jefferson Ave., 
they repaired thither to hold the ex- 
ercises. A letter from W. W. Duffield 
was read at this meeting. Some ex- 
tracts are as follows: 

"Pineville, Ky., Aug. 1, 1891. 

"I need not tell you that I am bit- 
terly disappointed. For the past two 
months I have looked forward with 
great pleasure to meeting with you 
once more — receiving the warm grasp 
of your hands and listening to the 
hearty welcome I well know you 
would give me. But although I shall 
not meet you in person I will be with 
you in heart and feeling. Looking 
back to that happiest portion of my 
life spent with you in the field, with 
grateful remembrance of the kindness 



and courtesy received at your hands 
I pray the Good Father to spare us all 
till our next reunion which I sincer- 
ely trust will unite us all once more. 

"Till then I shall gratefully remem- 
ber your great kindness and cherish 
that bond of comradeship — stronger 
than the ties of kindred — which en- 
dears you all to 

"Your sincere friend and comrade, 
"W. W. DUFFIELD." 

It was voted at this meeting to get 
up a complete roster of the regiment. 
Comrade J. W. Fales made it possi- 
ble by donating $50 towards this 
purpose. Much credit is due Com- 
rades Dobbelaere and Andrews for 
their painstaking efforts to get the 
enrollment and addresses. Eleven 
hundred survivors w'ere registered in 
this little book which did duty until 
Frank A. Lester of Mason with infi- 
nite pains brought out a complete 
roster twenty years later. 

Albion was chosen as place of hold- 
ing next (1892) reunion; Comrade 
Bissell, president, Comrade Sibley, 
secretary. The usual order of exer- 
cises was followed at Albion with a 
comparatively small number present. 
Lansing was selected for the 1893 as- 
semble; Captain Dobbelaere, presi- 
dent, Comrade Caleb Smith, secre- 
tary, the time being coincident with 
that of the State Fair. 

August 15, 1893, we again met in 
the State House. President Dobbe- 
laere cordially welcomed his old com- 
rades to Lansing. This was largely 
a social gathering. Letters were read 
from Col. Parkhurst and others who 
thought they could not be present. 
Resolutions were drafted in memory 
of the daughter of the regiment, 
whose demise was reported the pre- 
vious May. The time was principal- 
ly spent in little groups recalling old 
times. The organization elected Capt. 
Stevens president for 1894, Comrade 
Van Horn, secretary-treasurer and 
selected Portland as the place of next 
meeting. 

This reunion (1894) was attended 
by an unusually large number of 
wives and daughters of the veterans. 
The Portland Observer said that it 
was owing to the prevalence of hard 
times and no reduced rates on rail- 
roads that so many of the old Ninth 
were absent. What was lacking in 
numbers, however, was made up in 
good social time. Rev. D. E. Mil- 



lard read an original poem. Good let- 
ters were received and read from 
Major Fox and Capt. Marble, letters 
which ought to have a place in the 
history of the regiment. Comrade 
Rankin was elected president for the 
ensuing year, Comrade Dobbelaere 
chosen secretary, Detroit selected as 
place for reunion in 1895. 

The legislature of the following 
winter provided that a delegation 
from each Michigan military organi- 
zation participating in the battle of 
Chickamauga, September 19-20, 1863, 
might be sent to Chickamauga Sep- 
tember, 1895, to take part in the 
dedication of Chickamauga Park. 
Some forty of the Ninth took advan- 
tage of the time and occasion to re- 
visit Muldraugh Hill, Nashville, Mur- 
freesboro, Lookout Mountain, Mis- 
sionary Ridge, Chickamauga and oth- 
er points of interest to them in '61- 
'65. A reunion was held on Mul- 
draugh hill, another in the court 
house yard in Chickamauga, Presi- 
dent Rankin in the chair, a third 
when a little coterie of enthusiastic 
Ninths gathered round the regimental 
monument, surrounded by a statue of 
General Parkhurst, and erected at Mc- 
Farlan Gap. The dedication of that 
great National Park held special in- 
terest for the men of the Ninth from 
the fact that their esteemed comrade, 
H. M. Duffield, delivered the oration 
and because Chattanooga was head- 
quarters so long. The book, "Michi- 
gan at Chickamauga," speaks of the 
Ninth's reunion of 1895 on that me- 
morable battle field. At the Chatta- 
nooga meeting Mrs. Margaret Park- 
hurst Morey, Col. Parkhurst's daugh- 
ter, was elected daughter of the reg- 
iment. 

On account of the '95 reunion be- 
ing held on historic ground in Ken- 
tucky, Tennessee and Georgia, De- 
troit naturally received the meeting 
in '96. President Rankin called the 
Boys to order at 3 p. m., November 
11, in Odd Fellow's hall. Adjt. Duf- 
field had seen to it that the old bat- 
tle flags in custody of the Q. M. Gen- 
edal were loaned to us for one day. 
The Boys received the familiar ban- 
ners with three rousing cheers. Un- 
der such inspiration they fell in by 
twos and marched to Comrade Duf- 
field's residence on Jefferson Ave., 
where the entire body, the old stand- 
ards in their midst, was photograph- 



47 

ed. The reception to the Ninth in 
the Duffield home was gracious in the 
extreme. The Duffields had provid- 
ed a stately orchestra to enliven the 
occasion. The Boys sang the old 
war ..,songs as interludes and pre- 
ludes to the classic music. Patriotic 
recitations delighted the company, 
and then the feasting for the comrad- 
es and the members of their families. 
After this necessary part of every 
successful reunion the Association re- 
turned to Odd Fellow's hall and held 
their camp fire into the wee sma' 
hours. The next morning at the bus- 
iness meeting a motion was made and 
carried that the president, first vice 
president, and the secretary be lecet- 
ed for life. In pursuance of this pur- 
pose Col. Parkhurst was elected pres- 
ident, Adjt. Duffield first vice presi- 
dent, Capt. Dobbelaere secretary. 
Coldwater was chosen for place of 
next meeting. The Association finally 
marched to the foot of Woodward 
Ave. and by the courtesy of the D. 
U. R. was treated to a couple hours' 
ride within the city. 

Coldwater was fitly decorated for 
such an auspicious event — the com- 
ing of Gen. Thomas' body-guard to 
the home of his old-time Provost Mar- 
shal General, October 6-7, 1897. At 
4:30 p. m. the Ninth, headed by the 
Coldwater band, marched to Gen. 
Parkhurst's residence on North Clay 
street. On arriving the company was 
first photographed and then swarmed 
in through the spacious portals where 
thirty Mesdames and Misses stood in 
the receiving line with Gen. Park- 
hurst and our daughter of the regi- 
ment, Mrs. Morey. The Coldwater 
Mandolin Club added to the pleasure 
of the gathering. Delighted with their 
reception, the Old Boys were loath 
to disperse from such congenial quar- 
ters. At. 8 p. m. came the banquet at 
the G. A. R. rooms where covers had 
been laid for one hundred fifty. From 
thence to the capacious reception hall 
where Gen Parkhurst in his happiest 
vein introduced Mayor Sherman who 
turned over to the old guard the keys 
of the city. An enthusiastic camp fire 
concluded the festivities. Of former 
officers of the Ninth present at Cold- 
water to greet Gen. Parkhurst were 
Adjt. Duffield. Captains Marble, Con- 
ely, Dobbelaere; Lieutenants Bennett, 
Bunnell, Curry. Palmer; among visit- 
ing comrades were Benjamin. Coy, 



48 

Hubbard, Sibley, Lester, Lyman, 
Leach, Coder, Kramer, Pixley, Guth- 
ard, Siggins, Holt, Sine, Bissell, Fish- 
er, Garrison, Tiech. 

During the second day the boys 
marched in a body with a flag to the 
city high schools, where Duffield and 
others made patriotic speeches to 
crowded rooms of students. 

During October 4 and 5, 1898, fol- 
lowing the Cuban imbroglio, the 
Ninth Michigan Association met at 
Marshall. E. Marble and wife head- 
ed the enrollment followed by seven- 
ty-five comrades, not a few accom- 
panied by their wives. Upon Capt. 
Marble largely rested the responsibi- 
lity of giving his old comrades a fond 
reception and, as always hitherto, 
nobly did the hero of two wars rise 
to the opportunity. Dinner was served 
at the M. E. church under the auspices 
of the W. R. C, chicken pie and de- 
licious coffee, with all besides that 
make up a square meal. There was 
not a break or jar in all the feasts — 
those of the inner man, those of rea- 
son and flow of soul, others in the 
friendly walks and talks. The toasts, 
the impromptu speeches, the songs, 
the recitations, the handshakings, the 
tete-a-tetes, were all the best, the 
liveliest the regiment had ever been 
favored with. A big delegation of the 
Ninth visited the city schools and 
gave some lessons in unmistakable 
patriotism. The Marshall reunion 
has been held in grateful, ever fond 
remembrance by all who were fortun- 
ate enough to be present. 

The Army of the Cumberland meet- 
ing in Detroit the year following, it 
was thought appropriate and profita- 
ble by our Executive Committee to 
hold our '99 assembly at that time. 
The bigger obscured the lesser, how- 
ever, and the reunion was not a great 
success. There was, after a long 
waiting time, however, a boat ride on 
the river, a vote to go to Mt. Clem- 
ens next year, and some big speeches 
at the camp fire of the Army of the 
Cumberland well worth listening to. 

Sixty-two comrades, a dozen ac- 
companied by their wives, met at Mt. 
Clemens, October 16 and 17. 1900. 
Several hours were spent correcting 
the roster made nine years before. 
During this long rollcall the ex-sol- 
diers seemed to be in retrospective 
moods, associating the names called 
with events of by-gone days of the 



early sixties. Mt. Clemens did the 
agreeable during this reunion; there 
was plenty of time for visiting, to 
many of the veterans always most en- 
joyable part of these annual gather- 
ings; the banquet room was brilliant- 
ly lighted, the Stars and Stripes in 
profusion amid the decorations. 

The Association sent Comrades 
Marble, Joy Warren, Sibley, and Ran- 
kin to visit the city schools and talk 
patriotism. This committee was en- 
thusiastically received. Warren had 
enlisted in Macomb Co.; Sibley's 
brother was from the Mt. Clemens 
high school and had given up his life 
for his country; Marble had been 
prominent in educational circles all 
his life; Rankin was a teacher by 
profession. Marble's address on the 
occasion ought to have been pre- 
served to coming generations. Mar- 
ble's patriotism has always been 
of the Adams-Otis stripe. He comes 
by it naturally. His father was with 
Scott at Lundy's Lane, his grandfath- 
er with Warren at Bunker Hill. In 
no sense does he ever glorify war nor 
recommend resorting to it, except 
when other methods fail. His amor 
patriae is the deepest and most abid- 
ing, the purest patriotism conceive- 
ble. 

The next year in October found the 
Association at Fowlerville again, 1901, 
the fortieth milestone in the history 
of the regiment, two score years 
since the struggle of giants began, in 
that final test for supremacy whether 
national or state sovereignty was to 
prevail. The Boys felt this fortieth 
year was an epoch in their lives; 
that that reunion would be one where- 
in they must call a halt and pass 
in review. Eighty-five were enrolled, 
-about the same old standbys who 
could always be depended on. There 
was a seriousness about that gather- 
ing we all felt, yet could not explain. 
Parkhurst, the princely soldier, born 
to command, yet gentle as the most 
refined woman, was, on this occasion 
more dignified, more stately, more 
reserved than usual. The afternoon 
of Tuesday, October 1, was given over 
to quiet greetings, warmer ones than 
customary. The veterans seemed to 
notice in each other evidences of ap- 
proaching old age. They would deny 
it, personally, but each saw it in his 
comrade. There was an inspiring 
camp fire in the evening at the opera 




Four Nith Michigan Men DepTrtmer.t Commanders G. A. R. 
William Siggins. Dep't Florida; Geo. M. Mott. Dep't California; Henry 
Duffield, Dep't Michigan; Perry Starkweather. Dep't Minnesota. 



49 

house. Comrade Miner described the of business, then the annual banquet, 
old battlefields and camp grounds as The camp fire which followed was 
he saw them the previous winter, and, made up, principally, of one lengthy 
while doing so, made a great hit in address which shut off all other 
presenting his old regiment with a would-be participants. The Mason re- 
beautiful gravel which he himself union is agreeably memorable, too, 
had made. Wednesday morning the from the fact that the Association 
exercises opened with "The Battle found its champion there in the per- 
Hymn of the Republic," a solo by son of Frank Lester, Comrade Les- 
Mrs. Rankin. The secretary read at ter's son, whose zeal and devotion to 
some length from the files of a Mur- the Association and to every man of 
freesboro newspaper of 1862 recalling the Ninth was without a parallel at 
vividly the old scenes. The following that time, and has remained so up 
resolutions were adopted: to this present. It was a gracious act 

"Whereas, our comrade and fellow- at Mason on the part of the old regi- 

soldier, Wm. G. Miner, of Co. D, has ment to make an honorary member of 

presented to the regimental organiza- the Association, "bread cast upon the 

tion an emblem of authority in this waters," which has returned many 

gravel, made by him from laurel and times in the days which have follow- 

hickory grown on historic old Look- ed. 

out Mountain, embedded with a bullet The next year, 1903, the Ninth held 

from consecrated Chickamauga and its reunion at Grand Ledge. Comrade 

adorned with the red, white and blue Tracy is the only representative of 

of Old Glory; be it the old regiment there but he always 

"Resolved, that we accept from his works like a beaver for the comfort 
hands and heart this token which ex- of his comrades. The usual number 
presses, more forcefully than words, registered, about seventy. Wednesday 
memories olden passed into history of afternoon, September 9, was spent in 
the campaigns in Tennessee and renewing old friendships and in trans- 
Georgia. That we desire to place on acting the routine of business. The 
record our thanks to the comrade for responses to toasts in the evening, 
his thoughtfulness in the gift which during the banquet, brought out all 
has in it so much of associated val- the old-time eloquence and pathos, 
ue. Gen. Parkhurst spoke on "The Rock 

"Resolved, further, that we ac- of Chickamauga;" Capt. Starkweath- 

knowledge ourselves deeply indebted er on "Early Recollections of the 

to the ofllcials and to the citizens of Ninth;" Capt. Marble responded to 

Fowlerville, to the press, the clergy, the address of welcome. Comrades 

the musical club, for all unusual fa- Pales, Dobbelaere, Hubbard, Stevens, 

vors and courtesies extended to us on Fisher, Miner, Palmer, Lyman and 

our third visit to Fowlerville, acts of Mrs. Rankin took active parts during 

kindness which touch our hearts and the camp fire, which, after an hour's 

bring from us hearty and unanimous interval for visiting, followed the 

responses of gratitude and gladness." banquet. 

Mrs. Rankin then sang the "Star Howell entertained us in 1904. Its 
Spangled Banner." On motion the citizens had said to Lieut. Sargent, 
comrades voted to visit the Fowler- "Yes, Sargent, call upon us for what 
ville Union School in a body which, you will for the boys in blue." Gen. 
headed by the regimental drum corps, Parkhurst was ill and could not be 
they proceeded to do, seventy-five present. Adjt. Duffield, life vice pres- 
strong. The village president, Mr. ident, oflficiated. The following tele- 
Cole, announced to the school the ob- grams were sent out. To Col. Duf- 
ject of this G. A. R. visit. Comrades field, Washington, "Your old regiment 
Parkhurst. Marble, Fales and others rejoices in the hallowed, inspiring 
made forceful addresses. They were memories which endear every one of 
in the proper spirit and gave voice us to our first commander and be- 
with prophetic utterance. loved friend." To Col. Parkhurst, 

October 22, 1902, the reunion was Coldwater, "With sincere sorrow your 

held at Mason, home of Comrade Les- comrades regret your enforced ab- 

ter. Mayor Whitman welcomed the sence, but rejoice because your in- 

Association, President Parkhurst re- domitable spirit still guides us." To 

sponded; there was the usual routine Marshall, "We miss you, dear Com- 



50 

rade Marble, but join with you in 
hopeful expectation of clasping hands 
next year." Comrade Kelley's draw- 
ing of Muldraugh Hill, Kentucky, so 
vividly reproducing the old times was 
exhibited and called forth a good deal 
of attention. Major Jenny made the aft- 
er dinner speech. The secretary call- 
ed attention to the recent publication 
by the state of the regimental histor- 
ies which could be had by application 
to the Adjutant General at Lansing. 
He also read a roster of 89 officers 
of the staff and line, more than fifty 
of whom had passed from earth. 

At 7:30 o'clock the Howell band 
appeared, discoursed some patriotic 
airs, after which they headed the pro- 
cession to the camp fire at the Court 
House. The Howell schoolgirls did 
the singing. W. P. Van Winkle's ad- 
dress was a masterly effort which re- 
ceived hearty commendation from a 
crowded courtroom. After the 
speeches the veterans visited at the 
hotels until a late hour. 

At the morning session return tele- 
grams were received, from Gen. W. 
W. Duffield, Washington, "My heart 
replies gratefully to your loving mes- 
sage;" from Gen. Parkhurst, "My 
sincere thanks for your kind sympa- 
thy and loving remembrance." It was 
especially urged that the ex-soldiers 
thereafter plan to make the second 
day of the reunion an essential part 
of the annual gathering and not 
break up until they do so in a body. 
Comrade Miner's gracious invitation, 
seconded by Comrades Klotz, Jordan, 
Wade and by other Co. D boys, to 
come to Portland for 1905, made evi- 
dent the fact that Portland would out- 
do itself the next year to entertain 
the Ninth Michigan Infanry, so we 
accepted the urgent invitation and 
went to Portland the following Sep- 
tember. 

Promises at Howell the year before 
were made good. Everything which 
could be done, was done. The resi- 
dent comrades. Miner, Klotz, Jordan, 
Van Horn, etc., backed by a loyal con- 
stituency of patriotic citizens, by the 
W. R. C. and by the G. A. R.'s general- 
ly, vied with one another in making 
possible a joyous and profitable gath- 
ering. The usual program was car- 
ried out. The Association had its 
"picture taken" the first day when 
everybody was on hand; a great deal 
of time was devoted to visiting. A 



goodly number of comrades brought 
their wives and daughters. The pres- 
ence of the ladies in later reunions 
has been a growing feature which ev- 
eryone recognizes as a source of in- 
terest, helpfulness and pleasure. This 
was Gen. Parkhurst's last reunion in 
the flesh. He was full of years yet 
straight as an arrow. His presiding 
at Portland was dignified and impres- 
sive as of yore and yet his Boys, as 
he always called them, felt intuitively 
that the General's days were number- 
ed, so they gladly accepted his press- 
ing invitation to make Coldwater their 
place of rendezvous in 1906. His ad- 
dress at Portland, however, still show- 
ed much of the old forceful utterances 
which always marked his speeches. 
The Colonel, as the veterans loved to 
call him, was "in the saddle" to the 
last. He joined the immortals the 
following May, 1906. 

October 12, 1906, but thirty-five of 
the once powerful regiment met at 
Coldwater, a feeble remnant of a once 
mighty host when an army of volun- 
teers was marshaled for a great con- 
flict of arms upon a thousand battle- 
fields in behalf of the most righteous 
cause for which men ever contended 
for mastery. The daughter of the reg- 
iment would have it so" that her fath- 
er's old Boys must come once more 
to Coldwater though the General slept 
with the long roll of illustrious men 
who once had unflinchingly stood as 
leaders amidst the Nation's defenders. 
We were most cordially received, wel- 
comed and feasted. Motor cars met 
the veterans and their wives at the 
depot; a reception was given us in 
the Parkhurst home; we looked upon 
the General's belongings and sat, 
some of us, in his familiar chair; we 
clustered in little groups in the li- 
brary where the Coloney was so long 
a central figure; portraits of great 
Americans looked down upon us from 
the walls of the various rooms; the 
General's own military yet loving face 
among them, attracting, knitting and 
endearing us still more closely to the 
scenes and memories he, in life, 
adorned; we had beautiful and sug- 
gestive souvenir programs at the eve- 
ning banquet, with the well-known 
features of Coldwater's most distin- 
guished citizen and our greatly loved 
friend exposed to view as the flaps 
of the tent were lifted; General Dul- 
field in his most graceful, charming 



manner assumed the gavel of authori- 
ty as our second life President; Mrs. 
Margaret Parkhurst Morey was the 
most gracious of hostesses; the citi- 
zens of Coldwater left nothing for our 
entertainment and comfort which 
could be done; there were good ad- 
dresses at the banquet by some of 
Cold water's most gifted orators; and 
yet a quiet, solemn and impressive 
awe permeated the entire reunion. 
The Association had purposed visiting 
the cemetery the next morning to 
strew with flowers the General's last 
resting place, but a violent snow 
storm unprecedented for the time of 
year prevented. Owing to the debili- 
ty of Capt. Dobbelaere it was neces- 
sary to have him relieved from active 
work. Comrade Rankin was therefore 
elected assistant secretary and press 
correspondent. Comrade H. S. Hub- 
bard, treasurer. 

The next year (1907) the Associa- 
tion met in Detroit. There was a 
good attendance. After the business 
session, the executive committee pro- 
vided a steamer for a ride on Detroit 
river. Arrangements had been made 
also for a banquet and toasts on the 
boat but owing to some misunder- 
standing the program miscarried. 
Comrade Miner's son. Rev. Frank Min- 
er, was scheduled for the principal ad- 
dress. There was plenty of good mu- 
sic, plenty of wholesome food, a most 
delightful excursion down and up the 
river, but someone seriously blunder- 
ed and the exercises prepared with 
so much care had to be postponed. 
The Association, however, banquet- 
ted later in the evening, and, rising 
to the necessities of the hour, as the 
Ninth Michigan were trained to do in 
Dixie, the standbys of the society 
managed to put in a couple hours' 
customary flow of soul. The daugh- 
ter of the regiment's presence at this 
reunion was one of the really enjoy- 
able features. There was plenty of 
time for visiting and the veterans 
made the most of it. As the years 
pass, our columns are more and more 
broken. We, therefore, feel the ne- 
cessity of drawing nearer and nearer 
tigether as we close up our ranks and 
with faces turned forward continue 
life's battle until we, in turn, are 
mustered out. 

In 1908 our steps were once again 
turned towards Fowlerville where 
three times before the regiment had 



51 

been received with open arms; upon 
the visiting veterans and their loved 
ones every fond care had been lavish- 
ed; for the ex-soldiers only to ask, 
Fowlerville responded quickly with 
costliest gifts. There was an early 
gathering of the faithful ones for well 
they knew that participation at Co. 
K's home always exceeded the joys 
of anticipation. The first arrivals 
were confident that Benjamin or Fish- 
er, Copeland or Lockwood, some or 
all of the resident members of the 
Ninth would be at the train to meet 
and welcome them home, for Fowler- 
ville was beginning to seem like home. 
Indeed it was earnestly discussed at 
the business meeting later whether it 
would not be better to settle on Fow- 
lerville or Portland as permanent 
headquarters of the Association, 
abandoning for aye our itinerary sys- 
tem. 

It was a camp fire worth while that 
night. President Duffield's eloquent 
response to the welcome address 
sounded the keynote of the reunion; 
Comrades Hubbard, Guthard, Quinn 
and Fales followed the General with 
appropriate incidents and reminis- 
cences; there were patriotic songs 
and recitations, music by the band at 
frequent intervals and then the thrill- 
ing, pathetic words, that fairly breath- 
ed inspiring thoughts, that brightly 
burned, of the daughter of the regi- 
ment, Mrs. Margaret Parkhurst Mor- 
ey in her loving and comforting mes- 
sage in response to the toast, "My 
Father's Boys." There was nothing 
more to be said or done after her 
memorable address though we linger- 
ed until late the next day indulging 
our fancies in reveries or tete-a-tetes 
as we discussed means and measures 
which had in view the vital interests 
of our Association. 

When the hour arrived for the cus- 
tomary bids for the honor of next 
year's entertainment there was a pain- 
ful silence; for the nonce we were 
homeless, orphaned, men without a 
country, when Comrade Miner, dear 
faithful Miner, rushed into the breach 
and upon his own responsibility with 
heartfelt solicitation invited his old 
regiment to Portland for 1909. 

So we went to Portland the next 
year (1909) and had the time of our 
lives, one continuous round of soul- 
stirring rejuvenations. A large mi- 
nority of the veterans took the late 



52 

train home, not awaiting the exercises 
of the second day. But to those who 
remained the love feast of the morn- 
ing, with Vice President Curry in the 
chair, proved to be the ne plus ultra of 
all previous exercises. The secretary 
was instructed to call the roll. In re- 
sponse each veteran in answer to his 
name arose to let us look fondly into 
his well-known face while he told us 
briefly what the Association and its 
reunions meant to him. This was our 
life vice president's last meeting with 
us. (Six of his old comrades went 
to Fenton the following summer to 
join in the final sad rites to all that 
was mortal of Lieut. Curry). The lit- 
tle company was photographed to be 
framed and preserved in Portland's 
public library. The old Boys were 
profuse with thanks for many kind- 
nesses received and especially so for 
the generous spirit shown among the 
good people of Portland in meeting 
promptly all the local expenses of 
the reunion. 

The visft to the public schools was 
the crowning event. The entire body 
went as a committee. The orators of 
the Association were conspicuous by 
their absence but it is typical of 
American life for supposed subordin- 
ates to rise to great occasions when 
necessity obliges. The secretary took 
charge of the program and was him- 
self surprised to see his comrade 
Miner lead off in a tribute to Chris- 
tianity, patriotism and education 
which would have done credit to Web- 
ster, or Beecher in their prime had 
those great apostles of eloquence oc- 
cupied the rostrum. There were oth- 
er patriotic addresses far above the 
ordinary. It was a time for memory 
and prophecy, for impressive lessons 
on the sacredness of liberty and free- 
dom, for kindly words of warning, for 
— tears. 

It may well be supposed that the 
high tide of attendance and high 
grade entertainment had been reach- 
ed at Portland in 1909. It could not 
well be surpassed and not a few of 
the veterans were led to think that 
any new place as Ypsilanti must 
prove a boomerang. Notice had been 
sent out by the secretary that all who 
would ask for it a few days in advance 
would be regarded as preferred guests 
by the good people of Ypsilanti, would 
be housed and fed without expense, 
and all who did not send any word 



would be, at least, furnished lodgings. 

Whether this had any great in- 
fluence in bringing the veterans is 
uncertain, but there were far larger 
receipts for dues than at any other 
reunion. The best homes in the city 
were opened to the visitors. Mrs. 
Deubel generously provided lodging 
for eleven veterans or the members 
of their families. She surprised them 
all, too, with a hearty invitation to stay 
to breakfast. The elegant and com- 
modious rooms of the Masonic Temple 
were placed at the disposal of the or- 
ganization; one hundred fifty dollars 
were subscribed by a loyal and gen- 
erous public to banquet the Associa- 
tion and its invited guests. Covers 
were laid for 250. Every seat was 
taken. The repast was both delicate 
and plentiful, the service by the East- 
ern Stars all that could be desired. 
The Ninth had five distinct welcomes, 
by the city, by the F. and A. M. fra- 
ternity, by the State Normal College, 
by the G. A. R.'s and by the W. R. 
C. Those present will remember Mrs. 
Phillip's flowery and spirited address 
on behalf of the W. R. C. That was 
General Duffield's last banquet with 
the boys he loved. He was very fee- 
ble at the time but determined to 
come to Ypsilanti. The General, 
whom Ypsilantians delighted to hon- 
or, was entertained by Mr. and Mrs. 
W. B. Hatch. Comrade H. M. Gal- 
lup after thirty-five years absence 
came from Long Lake, Minnesota, to 
clasp hands with his former comrades. 
A committee of five was appointed to 
design and get ready for the fiftieth 
anniversary a metal badge which 
should tell the story of the regiment's 
four years in the Civil war, one which 
might be worn at all future meetings 
of the Association. That this fiftieth 
anniversary reunion should be held 
in old Fort Wayne went without say- 
ing and it was so decreed. 

There was some figuring and a 
good deal of hard work done between 
September, 1910, and September, 
1911, to make ready for the Fort 
Wayne reunion. Mr. F. A. Lester, 
for more than a decade had been as 
untiring in his efforts as determined 
in his purpose, to bring into close 
touch with his old regiment every 
former Ninth Michigan soldier. To 
effect this desired result it was first 
necessary to find the fellows, who. 
during the years since muster out had 



scattered from Dan to Beersheba, and, 
then some. No one except his own 
people will ever know with what in- 
finite patience and unwearying re- 
search our "Stanley found his lost 
Livingstones." His entire time at 
his own expense and on his own re- 
sponsibility was at the Association's 
disposal for the entire year. The 
beautiful and serviceable roster he 
brought out speaks for itself. Com- 
rade C. A. Kelley designed the per- 
manent badge; the committee saw 
to its being made on time. 

One hundred thirty-seven of us 
greeted one another at Fort Wayne 
those September days of 1911. Com- 
rades Mott from California, Bunker 
from Kansas, Perse from Oklahoma, 
Wallace and Kenyon from Iowa, Colby 
from New Hampshire, Gallup and 
Starkweather from Minnesota, Bur- 
nett from Missouri, O'Laughlin from 
Wisconsin, Hasset from New York, In- 
gersoll, Rabedeau, Brewster, Arm- 
strong and Vining from Illinois, Co- 
der and Eggleston from Indiana, Hub- 
bard, Mansfield and Evans from Ohio. 
There were eighty-one present who 
were mustered in at Fort Wayne fifty 
years before, making it a great and 
notable gathering. 

The genial commander of the Fort, 
Col. Booth, his aids and his allies, 
had prepared for our coming in every 
accord with the committee's express- 
ed desire. Two long rows of tents 
had been pitched with cots and blan- 
kets furnished. There was a big 
tent for holding the exercises. Old 
Glory floated proudly from the tall 
flag pole. We messed in the quarters 
of the different companies. There 
were many reminders of war times. 
We had but to hint, to receive. The 
U. S. band concerts every evening in 
lieu of the customary camp fire were 
entrancing. Some of the comrades 
camped there four days and were then 
loath to go. Gen. Duflield was pres- 
ent a few minutes — long enough to 
sit with the Boys for the regular As- 
sociation photograph. There were 
many interesting, (some of them in- 
tensely pathetic) letters, from those 
absent, read by the secretary. The 
response to the request for additional 
funds to meet the extra large outlay 
was prompt, hearty and most gener- 
ous. The roster and the badges mer- 
ited and received general approval. 
The days of Auld Lang Syne were 



53 

idealized. And thus the fiftieth anni- 
versary i-eunion in turn passed into 
history. 

July 13, 1862, was one of the piv- 
otal days in the history of our old 
regiment. It was highly fitting that 
we should hold our second anniver- 
sary gathering just fifty years from 
thai eventful morning. In memoriam 
of one of the six companies which 
was in the fight at Murfreesboro we 
voted at Fort Wayne to assemble at 
Jackson July 12 and 13, 1912. We 
put Comrade Sutton at the head of 
the executive committee and our con- 
fidence M'as not misplaced. The drum- 
mer of the Rappahonnock, doubtless 
the greatest living Civil War drum- 
mer, our own Robert Hendershot, and 
his gifted son, had promised to be in 
Jackson for the reunion. As another 
great world conqueror, they came, 
they saw, they conquered all our 
hearts. Michigan's executive, the 
brilliant Chase S. Osborn, took noth- 
ing from the occasion, himself honor- 
ed, by his presence at 4 o'clock of the 
twelfth. He came to talk to us by 
especial request, and, what an ad- 
dress! Who wouldn't be inspired to 
do his best with the survivors of the 
Ninth Michigan Infantry, their wives 
and their friends as his interested au- 
ditors? He made a plea for banish- 
ing the American saloon — every voice 
applauded; he presented forcibly and 
convincingly the great and growing 
cause of universal suffrage — every- 
body stood upon his feet and thus 
tacitly pledged himself to vote for it 
at the polls until it should be triump- 
hant; he deftly referred to the ex- 
alted service of the immortal Lincoln 
and his great and mighty army of 
volunteer citizen-soldiers — ■ everyone 
said, "Amen." 

The second day's session was a re- 
plica of Portland, another genuine 
love feast with the secretary in the 
chair. How, one by one, each laid 
bare his inner heart and poured forth 
its choicest offerings. Comrade Ben- 
nett, tall Bennett, gave his version 
of the first Murfreesboro fight, which 
the Boys with unanimous voice 
thought best to have put in book 
form that it might be sent out for all 
the Ninth to read and ponder over at 
will. (That action brought forth this 
book). What a coincidence that, while 
we were listening eagerly to our com- 
rades' inviting stories, our president 



54 

DufReld was quietly being mustered decimated their serried ranks; dis- 
out! Strange tliat during our reunion eased incident to camp life, the rigors 
he should pass from earth! Life-sec- of the march, the exposures of cam- 
retary Rankin seemed to be the Asso- paigns, the privations of prison pens, 
ciation's choice for permanent pre- each and all of those had taken fear- 
siding officer. It was so voted, ful toll of the flower of America, the 
Whereupon Frank A. Lester was im- men and youths who offered their 
mediately elected secretary. After lives on freedom's altar that the Na- 
some animated discussion whether tion might endure. 

to go to Detroit or Fowlerville for Though the great war between the 

1913, by a narrow margin the vote states had virtually ended at Appo- 

was recorded in favor of Detroit, niattox, such necessitous conditions 

Comrade Davis having been elected of adjustment arose during the recon- 

vice president and chairman of the struction period as to cause gravest 

Executive Committee. anxiety and alarm lest the conflict 

(There were thirty-five comrades of arms might, indeed, prove to be 

present who were in the battle of an irreconcilable one. The assassin's 

Murfreesboro, Tenn., July 13, 1862, bullet had ruthlessly striken down 

viz:— Co. B, John L. Decker, Leban- the people's chieftain with the in- 

nah E. Coder, Lewis W. Nathans, Rob- spired utterances of his second inau- 

ert H. Hendershott, Cyrenius Hano- gural, with pathetic words of forgive- 

ver; Co. C, Henry C. Rankin, Frank ness yet warm on his lips. Very 

A. Palmer, Frank Lester, E. Guy Ly- many good people had feared the re- 
man. Wellington Moulton, Thad. S. suits of suddenly disbanding more 
Vining, Henry S. Hubbard, Alford A. than a million armed men. These 
Leach, Gilbert B. Hogle, Levant fears, however, were groundless. The 
Bangs, Harrison T. Miller; Co. G, citizen-soldiers were glad to lay down 
Charles W. Bennett, Thomas Rhodes, their arms and resume the arts of 
James F. O'Laughlin, Anthony C. peace into which they melted like the 
Chapoton, Ben. J. Stoddard, George snows of midsummer without causing 
Gillen, Barlow Smith, Purchase W. so much as a ripple on the waves of 
Hilliar; Co. H, Jacob Guthard, Geo. F. peaceful pursuits. 

Burgess, James Hendryx; Co. K, Lu- The realignment within the Union 

cius E. Fuller, Wm. E. Bennett, Geo. of the seceded States; how far am- 

L. Fisher, Henry C. Tanner, Charles nesty should be extended to the lead- 

B. Lake, John G. Copeland, Alvin ers of the Confederacy; whether slav- 
Stage and Henry West.— F. A. Lester), ery was to be abolished, once and 

for all, within the entire United 

"This Nation under God, shall have States; what the political and civil 

a new birth of freedom, and that gov- status of the freedmen ought to be; 

ernment of the people, by the people, whether the gigantic debt of the 

for the people, shall not perish from country was to be funded at lower 

the earth." rates of interest and paid, or be en- 

tirely repudiated — these were some 

Not alone for the social and remin- of the great problems that had to be 

iscent benefits has our old regiment solved in the Council Chambers at 

made much of its reunions. The men Washington. The right solution and 

who had comprised it, found them- settlement of these tremendous ques- 

selves intuitively called together tions of state would call for highest 

again in response to a new common patriotism, exhaustless forbearance, 

need. The Civil War had summoned superhuman wisdom and untiring pa- 

into the armies of the Union two mil- tience. 

lion of the Nation's brightest and best To meet such strenuous emergen- 
young men from all the walks of life, dies would require the united service 
All of them were patriotic else they and counsel of the Nation's best ad- 
would not have volunteered their visers and workers. It was during 
services; they were the most intelli- these strenuous times that the Grand 
gent body of soldiers the world had Army of the Republic was called into 
ever seen, not a few of whom were being, and later on began the reunions 
highly educated, men of large vision, of regimental war organizations. The 
wise beyond their generation. A W. R. C, that devoted and self-sacri- 
thousand battle fields had woefully ficing body of loyal women rnlliod to 



the support and care of the Nation's 
defenders and their widows and or- 
phans. In these civic organizations 
was latent a liind of power behind the 
throne to bind up the Nation's wounds 
and hold up its lawmakers' hands, 
needed organized service of those 
who had manned the Old Ship of 
State in '61-'65 and brought her safe- 
ly into port, through the wild storms 
of disunion amid the raging tempests 
of secession and threatened National 
dissolution. 

In the marvellous expanse of Amer- 
ica during the past four decades, 
growth without a parallel in history, 
the ex-soldier has played conspicuous 
and heroic parts. Organization and 
concentration have redoubled the ben- 
eficient results arising therefrom. In 
the fascinating allurements of mater- 
ial developments, patriotism might 
have lost much of its sterling quali- 
ties; Old Glory might, possibly, have 
had some of its stars erased or some 
of its stripes polluted; the states 
might not have been recemented to- 
gether into the bonds of Federal Un- 
ion, one and inseparable, had it not 
been for the guilding hands and loy- 
al hearts of the ex-soldiers. Future 
historians, a century hence, will read 
aright the signs of the times, the les- 
sons of our day, and ascribe to the 
soldier-citizen, during the era of re- 
construction, much of the credit for 
piloting the good ship. Union, safely 
between the Scylla of sectionalism 
and the Charybdis of misunderstand- 
ing and prejudice, into the peaceful 
and prosperous haven we now enjoy. 

Heroic example has infinite power. 
True Americans will never forget the 
valuable influence exerted on the spir- 
it of a great people by those examples 
of signal heroism and chivalric devo- 
tion, for which a magnanimous war 
gave occasion, and which it exalts, 
as peace cannot, before men's minds. 
The imperishability of great examples 
is the pledge of human progress, the 
inspiration of human hope. 

A resplendent halo surrounds the 
silent marrh of Gideon and his three 
hundred. Gideon's battle cry rings 
down the centuries. Thermopylae's 
soil though bare and barren is sacred 
ground where Leonidas and his three 
hundred perished in the cause of 
western freedom; the daring deed and 
magic name of Arnold Winkelried 
still stirs every courageous Switzer. 



55 

History's pages fairly glisten with the 
records of valiant lives not all of 
which heroism by any means, consists 
in military achievements alone. Elo- 
quence and song delight ever to re- 
hearse and impress the story of chiv- 
alric devotion to principle and up- 
rightness. 

The exalted virtue and cherished 
memory of the peerless Washington, 
the impressive personality and rev- 
ered integrity of the idolized Lincoln, 
whose names and fame gather added 
luster as time passes on, stand apart 
from the attainments and accomplish- 
ments of other men as mountain 
peaks rear aloft their snow-encrust- 
ed cliffs far above the plain. 

Peace, too, has its victories, its 
long roll of illustrious achievements 
no less renouned than the conflicts 
of arms. If we can preserve peace 
and maintain virtue, who shall set 
bounds to our continued progress? 
If we shall exalt peace, if we shall 
reverence religion, morality, and good 
government, there are high hopes and 
gratifying prospects in store for our 
children's children. The finger of the 
Almighty can be so clearly traced in 
our country's history, he is worse 
than an infidel who lacks faith in the 
recognition of His guiding hand; he 
would be more than wicked who could 
be so ungrateful as not to acknowl- 
edge his continued obligation to our 
fathers' God and ours. 

We shall hold at best, but few more 
reunions. We are like scattered hem- 
locks in a forest stripped and bare. 
The winds of more than seventy win- 
ters have whistled through our 
branches; we are dead at the top. 
Other men and other times are tak- 
ing our places. The activities of life 
shall know us but for a brief period 
longer. Shall not those of us, while 
we remain, with purity of purpose and 
with high resolve, gather annually in 
our regimental reunions though we 
can do little more than merely to 
point to the emblazoned National 
pathways we have helped to construct 
in our country's onward march to 
power, fame and physical greatness? 



"Sail on, sail on. O Ship of State! 

Sail on! O Union, strong and great! 
Humanity with all its fears, 
With all the hopes of future years 

Is hanging breathless on thy fate." 



Regimental Statistics 



"Michigan in the War" says the ^o^- 1st Lieut. Charles T. (At Tyree 

records of the Ninth sliow a total Springs, Sept. 23, 1862) 1 

membership of 2,272 officers and men Hamilton, William A. A 

during its entire service. The "Rec- Knowles, William K 

ord of the Ninth Infantry," published Newberry, George K 

more recently by state authority, Quinn, James (At Atlanta, Sept. 18, 

gives the total enrolment as 1,947 1864) H 

I have detected some omissions from Reynolds, James G 

that book, but I think it is more ^^st, Samuel K 

nearly correct, for it was edited by Schaffer, George K 

that pains-taking officer, Lieut. Col. Webster, Hugh G 

George H. Turner, Assistant Adju- White, William (bugler) G 

tant General, to which "Record" I WOUNDED IN ACTION. 

nnl.i«'^t\f \% i^^ T^^ ""^ *^^ (All at Murfreesboro, Tenn., July 13. 

names of the killed and wounded ^oco . xu l ^s 

Like all new regiments the Ninth , , '^^^: ^"""TvT"'", ""T I 

suffered severely from sickness in Acker, Corporal Edward S. (Aug. 

the early part of its service and ^^' ^®^^" McMinnville) G 

three officers and 268 men died of ^^^ams, John H 

disease. Two officers and fifteen A^^^' Charles . (died July 17) K 

men were killed in action, and eleven ^^*^'^' Samuel (died July 19) A 

men died of wounds, making a total barlow, Job D. G 

loss by death of 297; and 208 were ^^"^^s, Levant C 

discharged for disability from wounds Barnes, James G 

and disease. Barrows, 1st Lieut., Hiram A 

oAT-i-i F-rs -^.^ Benjamin, Ryal (died July 15) A 

BATTLES ENGAGED IN. Blessing, John C 

The regiment participated in en- Bohn, Peter G 

gagements at Murfreesboro, Tenn , Borden, Brayton B. B 

July 13, 1862; Company D, stockade Brink, Charles K 

near McMinnville, Aug. 29, 1862; Bronson, Chauncy J. C 

Companies D, E, F and I at Tyree Brooks, Martin C. A 

Springs, Tenn., Sept. 11, 1862; Stone Buell, Marcus A 

River, Tenn., Dec. 29 to 31, 1862, Jan Burns, Michael A 

1 and 2, 1863; Chickamauga, Ga.i Burnham, Philip A 

Sept. 19 and 20, 1863; Mission Ridge' Buzzell, Marcus A. A 

Tenn.. Nov. 25, 1863; Rocky Face! Bryan, William C. C 

Ga., May 8, 1864; Resaca, Ga May Campbell. Ira (discharged Aug. 15) K 

14, 1864; Dallas, Ga., May 27, 1864; Canady, Wm. F. (Feb., 1864) B 

Kenesaw Mountain, Ga., June 25, Chamberlain, Oscar A 

1864; Chattahoochee River, Ga., July Chambers, John H 

5 and 6, 1864; Siege of Atlanta, Ga., Clarke, Franklin C 

July 22 to Aug. 25, 1864; Jonesboro Coats, Andrew J. H 

Ga., Sept. 1, 1864. Coleman, Charles D. H 

Collier, Corporal Hamilton G 

KILLED IN ACTION. Crandall, John A. (disch'g'd Oct. 2) A 

(All at Murfreesboro, Tenn., July 13. DufTipld, Col. Wm. W. (discharged 

1862. except two). Duinohl. Adjt. Henry M. (At Chick- 
Company, amauga Sept. 20, 1863) 

Abbott, Amos W. A Evarts, Corp'l Lysander W. A 

Austin, William H Fitzmire, David C 

Chase, Lieut. Alpheus H Florence, James M. C 

Deimer, Edward D. C Fowler, George (Wounded again 

Flagler, Myron A May 12, 1864) K 




MILITARY PRISON, CHATTANOOGA 
Guarded Several Months by Capt. S. A. Wiggins with Men of the Ninth. 





\ 



Men of the Ninth Guarding the Notorious Guerrilla. Champ Ferguson. 




FRANK A. LESTER 

Secretary Ninth Michigan Association 

Son of Frank Lester of Co. C. 



57 

Fox, Major Dorus M. (At Peters- liam W. Duffield (an ex-army officer 

biirg, Va., while Colonel 27tli and graduate of West Point), Colonel; 

Mich. Inf. June 17, 1864) John G. Parkhurst, Lieut. Colonel, 

Gaffney, Thomas H., 2nd Lieut. C and Dorus M. Fox, Major, of the 

Gass, Norman R. (died Oct. 5) A Ninth Mich. Infantry, and it was with 

Gould, Sergt. John G. K these field officers that the regiment 

Graham, Henry C first entered the service. 

Haskins, Francis (disch'd Sep. 18) H Col. Duffield was wounded at Mur- 

Hathaway, Scott A freesboro, July 13, 1862, which so 

Henderson, Henry (No further rec- disabled him for service that he re- 

ord, probably died of wound) C signed Feb. 6, 1863, and Lieut. Col. 

Hill, Joseph F. B Parkhurst took command of the reg- 

Hilliar, Harvey J. G iment. The other officers of the 

Hilliar, Corp'l P. W. (discharged) G field were William Wilkinson, Major 
Hogg, John K and Lieut. Colonel, and William Jen- 
Holiday, William H. A ney. Major, both promoted from the 

Jersey, 2nd Lieut. Nathan R. B line. 

Leach, Alfred A. C The first regimental staff was com- 

Linderman, Benj. F. A posed of Henry M. Duffield, Adjutant; 

Linderman, Henry A Ennis Church, Surgeon; Cyrus Smith, 

Luscher, Rudolph (Near McMinn- Ass't. Surgeon; Charles H. Irwin, 

ville. Aug. 29, 1862) D Quartermaster, and James G. Port- 
Mills, Harrison T. C man, Chaplain. During its term of 

Morton, Barry O. C service the other staff officers were 

Morton, Robert H. A A. H. Canfield, W. A. Hull and J. D. 

Olmstead, Daniel G. (died Sep. 14) K Hyde, Adjutants; Cyrus Smith and 

Owen, Sergt. John R. C George G. Smith, Surgeons; Geo. G. 

Parrott, Joseph H. G Smith, who was promoted from Co. 

Phillips, Geo. H. K K, Wm. H. Palmer, Geo. Barnes and H. 

Price, Freeborn H. A. King, who was promoted from Co. 

(discharged Sept. 6) A G, Assistant Surgeons; Lieut. G. D. 

Rielly, Thomas C Tucker and Lieut. A. M. Dobbelaere 

Rogers, William A were detailed as Quartermaster, and 

Rose, Silas H. A C. O. Thomas and W. H. Low^ry were 

Sargent, Everett D. K commissioned Quartermaster. Steph- 

Schofield, Lieut. R. H. (At Tyree en E. Root was promoted from Co. 

Springs, Sept. 11, 1862) D E to be Chaplain. 

Se^cor Ira I (At Tyree Springs, LINE OFFICERS. 

Sept. 11, 1862) I 

Smith, John B. H The Officers of the Line numbered 

Springman, William G sixty-nine. Two, Capt. Wilkinson, 

Strayer, Daniel (died Nov. 30) H Co. A, and Capt. Jenney, Co. I, were 

Swartz, Ferdinand B advanced to the Field. Seven, name- 
Tanner, Charles K ly, Charles W. Bennett, David F. Fox, 

Thomas, Sergt. Charles O. H Thomas H. Gaffney, Geo. K. New- 

Vanauken, James A combe, Moses A. Powell, R. H. Scho- 

Wallace, Lieut. J. N. (Aug. 29, 1862, field, W. R. Sellon and James N. Wal- 

near McMinnville) H lace, were promoted and served in 

Welcher, Charles K other regiments. Three were killed 

Woods, George H or died of wounds received in action 

— Lieut. Alpheus Chase of Co. H, 

r,.-^....-»..^» . «».,, ,»^..r,»»,v, ^r. Killed at Murfreesboro, July 13, 1862; 

REGIMENTAL AND COMPANY OR- Lieut. Chas. T. Fox, Co. I, died Sept. 

GANlZATlONb. 23, 1862, of wounds received in action 

Sept. 11, 1862, at Tyree Springs, 

(Mostly From Frank A. Lester's Ros- Tenn., and Lieut. T. H. Gaffney of 

ter of 1911). Co. C, wounded at Murfreesboro, died 

June 20, 1864, of wounds received be- 

FIELD AND STAFF OFFICERS. fore Petersburg, Va., while Captain 

in Mich. 1st Sharpshooters. Three 

General Orders No. 74, dated at De- died of disease — Capt. Albert Nye, Co. 

troit, Sept. 10, 1861, designated Wil- E, June 23, 1862; Lieut. J. H. lott, 



58 

Co. C, March 16, 1862, and Lieut. 
Lambert Barshite, Co, B, Feb. 19, 
1862. 

NON-COMMISSIONED STAFF 
OFFICERS. 
The original non-commissioned 
was A. M. Dobbelaere, Sergeant Ma- 
jor, who was followed by Wm. R. Sel- 
lon, A. C. Pond, Charles D. Coleman, 
F. A. Mimiford, Geo. R. Elms, Frank 
A. Palmer, Charles A. Kelley and Dan- 
iel W. Cole. Lambert Barshite, first 
Quartermaster Sergeant was followed 
by N. R. Jersey, Wm. C. Armstrong, 
Charles Tanner, Jas. W. Higgins, G. 
A. Watkins, Richard Cliff, and A. B. 
Hathaway. David Fox, the first Com- 
missary Sergeant was followed by C. 
O. Thomas, Jacob Carris, Wm. H. 
Lowrey, Alfred S. Bunnell, Alex. Good- 
all, Alonzo Barrett and Adna K. 
Frain. Leonard Goodrich. Drum Ma- 
jor, was followed by Henry C. Tan- 
ner. Wm. H. Palmer, Hospital Stew- 
ard, was followed by Jas. D. Hyde 
and Wm. Wilkinson, Jr.; and Geo. H. 
Newell was Fife Major. 



James Clark writes me that Chamber- 
lain was transferred from Co. A and 
died soon after at West Point, and 
the Band sent the body home to Rom- 
eo, Mich., at their own expense. Jol- 
ly "Dick" Wirts, being unarmed, es- 
caped capture at Murfreesboro by a 
free use of his legs during the fight, 
and when we arrived at Nashville he 
ran out half a mile to meet us, cheer- 
ing and swinging his hat. 



REGIMENTAL BAND. 

The Ninth Infantry Band was or- 
ganized at Ft. Wayne September, 
1861. It was composed of nineteen 
members, some being enlisted for 
that purpose while others were trans- 
ferred from the companies. S. H. 
Moulton, of Coldwater, was leader. 
It was one of the best regimental 
bands in the service and was fre- 
quently complimented for its excel- 
lent music. They remained with the 
regiment until after the battle of 
Murfreesboro, at which time they 
were taken prisoners (except Wirts) 
with the other six companies. After 
being paroled and sent to Camp 
Chase, Ohio, the Band was mustered 
out by an order of the War Depart- 
ment August 6, 1862, when the gov- 
ernment dispensed with regimental 
bands. 

The members were Samuel Corbus, 
Adonijah Chamberlain, Jam.^s W. 
Clark, Leonard Goodrich, Orlo B. 
Gray, Monroe D. Halladay, Albero 
McKegg, S. H. Moulton, Geo. H. 
Moulton, Orlando G. Noyes, Geo. R. 
Reed, Thomas Rhodes, Justin Scott, 
Ezra Sibley, Orlando A. Smith, Wel- 
lington White, Geo. K. Wilder, Rich- 
ard H. Wirts, Charles Woodard. 



COMPANY ORGANIZATIONS. 

COMPANY A was raised in Macomb 
county, enlistments being dated Aug. 
13, 1861. The company was com- 
manded by Wm. Wilkinson, with Al- 
bert Nye, 1st Lieut., and Hiram Bar- 
rows, 2nd Lieut., and they were suc- 
ceeded by Hiram Barrows and J. J. 
Huntley as Captains and Hiram Bar- 
rows, N. R. Jersey and Geo. K. Bang- 
ham, 1st Lieuts.; A. M, Dobbelaere, 
C. S. Hicks, Andrew Nuhfer, C. O. 
Thomas and D. W. Cole. 2nd Lieuts. 
There were about 220 members car- 
ried on the rolls of the company dur- 
ing the war. 

The company was engaged at Mur- 
freesboro, Tenn., July 13, 1862, where 
it lost four men killed — A. W. Abbott, 
W. A. Hamilton, Myron Flagler and 
Norman Gass, and Ryal Benjamin 
and Samuel Baird died of wounds re- 
ceived in that engagement. Several 
others were seriously wounded. The 
other losses during its term of ser- 
vice numbered about 25, mostly from 
disease. 

COMPANY B was raised at Niles 
and vicinity. The date of the en- 
listment was Aug. 12, 1861. Capt. O. 
C. Rounds, 1st Lieut. M. A. Powell 
and 2nd Lieut. L. J. Wright were the 
first officers. They were followed by 
E. Marble, W. C. Armstrong and C. 
C. Starkweather as Captains; L. J. 
Wright, W. C. Armstrong, B. H. Stev- 
ens and Augustus Ditman, 1st Lieuts., 
and Lambert Barshite. N. R. Jersey, 
E. C. Chubb, W. H. Lourey and E. D. 
Sargent, 2nd Lieuts. 

There were about 210 members 
during the war and the los?es were 
about 30 from disease, etc. 

The company was in the engage- 
ment at Murfreesboro, Tenn., July 
13, 1862, when it was stationed in the 
Court House as provost guards which 
it defended from 4:30 until eight 
o'clock in the morning, and surrend- 



59 

ered then only because the rebels had quarters in Detroit. The original of- 
set fire to the building. ficers were Cyprian H. Millard, Cap- 
COMPANY C was recruited and tain, Moses A. Share, 1st Lieut, and 
organized at Jackson, Sept. 6, 1861, S. S. Barrows, 2nd Lieut. These were 
and was composed almost with- followed by S. S. Barrows, Albert Nye 
out exception of Jackson conn- and Samuel A. Wiggins as Captain; S. 
ty boys, and went to the front Samuel A. Wiggins as Captains; S. 
with C. V. DeLand, Captain, S. Barrows, A. C. Pond, J. J. Hunt- 
Mho was later promoted Colonel 1st ley, C. C. Starkweather and A. S. 
Mich. S. S., Joseph H. lott, 1st Lieut., Bunnell 1st Lieuts., and D. F. Fox, 
and J. C. Purdy, 2nd Lieut. They J. J. Huntley, C. R. Brand, G. A. Wat- 
were followed by J. C. Purdy and kins and Joseph Phelps, 2nd Lieuts. 

C. O. Thomas as Captains; J. C. The company was in the engagement 
Purdy, E. C. Chubb and J. G. Gould against Forrest at Tyree Springs, 
1st Lieuts., and T. H. Gaffney, C. D. Sept. 11, 1862. It had a total enroU- 
Coleman, J. G. Gould, A. S. Bunnell ment of about 195 members during 
and Alonzo Barrett, 2nd Lieuts. its service, and lost about 27 by death 

The company had a membership from disease. 

of about 200 during its service. COMPANY F was raised in Shia- 

At Murfreesboro July 13, 1862, wassee and Calhoun counties, Owos- 

they were deployed as skirmishers, so being the principal place of en- 

and for eight long hours kept the reb- rollment and Aug. 14, 1861, date of 

els from our front, one man. Edward organiza,tion. It was commanded by 

D. Demier being killed and several Captain Geo. K. Newcombe, with S. 
others seriously wounded. S. Bangs, 1st Lieut, and Ephraim 

The company lost about 30 from Marble, 2nd Lieut. The later officers 

disease. were S. S. Bangs and S. S. Barrows, 

COMPANY D was enlisted in Ionia Captains; E. Marble, G. D. Tucker, 

county and organized at Lyons Sept. F. A. Mumford and F. A. Palmer, 1st 

5, 1861. Its first officers were John Lieuts.; C. W. Bennett, B. H. Stev- 

E. Smith, Captain; Daniel C. Moore, ens, P. A. Mumford and M. C. Wade, 
1st Lieut.; James N. Wallace, 2nd 2nd Lieuts. The company was with 
Lieut. They were followed by D. C. companies D, E and I in the success- 
Moore, L. J. Wright and C. D. Cole- ful engagement against Forrest at 
man as Captains; A. M. Dobbelaere, Tyree Springs, Sept. 11, 1862. 

R. H. Schofield, C. D. Coleman and About 160 members were enrolled 

J. V. Henry, 1st Lieuts.; W. C. Arm- during its service, and about 25 died 

strong, Geo. K. Bangham, Augustus from disease. 

Ditman and J. B. Gunning, 2nd Lieuts. COMPANY G was composed of 

The company was at Tullahoma about forty-five men from Branch 
when the fight occurred at Murfrees- county enlisted by Mansfield, about 
boro, but a detail of the company as- thirty from Wayne county enlisted by 
signed to duty with the Quartermas- Chase, and a party of twenty-three en- 
ter's department was taken prisoners, listed from the mines in Ontonagon, the 
two of whom received wounds during date of organization being Aug. 15, 
Forrest's cavalry attack. The com- 1861. Geo. N. Chase became Captain, 
pany had a severe fight with For- Mortimer Mansfield, 1st Lieut, and 
rest's cavalry in a stockade near Mc- William A. Hull, 2nd Lieut. Capt. 
Minnville, Aug. 29, 1862, when the Chase resigned Jan. 7, 1862, and 
rebels were severely defeated. Aid- Mansfield served as Captain after that 
ed by Companies E, F and I, they al- all through the service of the regi- 
so had another brush with Forrest's ment. The 1st Lieuts. were W. A. 
men at Tyree Springs, Tenn., Sept. Hull, C. O. Thomas and C. S. Hicks, 
11, 1862, when the rebels again re- and the 2nd Lieuts. were W. R. Sel- 
treated. Ion, A. H. Canfield, J. D. Hyde and 

The company had a total enroll- Alex. Goodal. 

ment of about 250 inembers, and lost The company was in the battle of 

35 from disease. Murfreesboro, July 13, 1862, where 

COMPANY E was recruited large- it lost William White, Hugh Webster 

ly from Wayne, St. Clair and Wash- and James Reynolds killed, and sev- 

tenaw counties during the months of eral others seriously wounded, P. W. 

August and September, with head- Hilliar being soon after discharged 



60 

therefor. About 25 members died 
from disease. The total membership 
during its entire service was 210. 

COMPANY H was recruited from 
several counties, principally from 
Washtenaw and Ionia, the date of 
the organization being August 16, 
1861. Andrew M. Adams was the first 
Captain, being followed by S. S. Bangs 
and Jacob Carris. S. A. Wiggins was 
1st Lieut, and he was followed by 
A. H. Canfield and C. R. Brand. 
Charles T. Fox was 2nd Lieut, and 
was succeeded by Alpheus Chase and 
John D. Williams. 

The company was engaged at Mur- 
freesboro July 13, 1862, where it lost 
Wm. Austin, killed, and Daniel Stray- 
er, died of wounds. The company 
suffered a severe loss from disease, 
amounting to about 35. The roll 
shows a total membership during its 
service of about 200. 

COMPANY I was composea of men 
from Macomb, Wayne, Livingston 
and the adjoining counties. The date 
of its organization was August 15, 
1861. William Jenney was its Cap- 
tain, B. W. Hornbeck, 1st Lieut, and 
A. P. Dickinson 2nd Lieut. Captain 
Jenney was promoted to Major and 
his successors were W. A. Hull, A. 
M. Dobbelaere and B. H. Stevens; C. 
T. Pox, W. R. Sellon, C. D. Coleman, 
J. R. Owen and G. A. Watkins were 
1st Lieuts., and A. C. Pond, Jacob 
Carris, C. C. Starkweather, J. V. Hen- 



ry, F. A. Palmer and C. A. Kelley 
were 2nd Lieuts. of the company. It 
was in the successful engagement 
against Forrest at Tyree Springs, 
Tenn., Sept. 11, 1862, when it lost 
several men taken prisoners, and 
Lieut. Charles T. Fox was mortally 
wounded, dying Sept. 23. Their loss- 
es from disease were not so large as 
some other companies, only about 20 
dying from that cause. During its 
term of service there were about 200 
names on the roll. 

COMPANY K was mostly Livingston 
county men, enlistments being made 
in August and September, 1861. 
John A. Tanner was Captain, Thos. 
J. Conely, 1st Lieut, and Lewis V. 
Curry 2nd Lieut. These were follow- 
ed by T. J. Conely and A. C. Pond, 
Captains; J. N. Wallace, Jacob Car- 
ris, J. W. Higgins and Andrew Nuh- 
fer 1st Lieuts.. and G. D. Tucker, J. 
W. Higgins and J. R. Owen, 2nd 
Lieuts. The total membership dur- 
ing its term of service was about 225, 
of whom about thirty died from dis- 
ease. 

The company's loss at the battle 
of Murfreesboro, July 13, 1862, was 
very severe, George Newberry, Sam- 
uel Rust and George Shaffer being 
killed; and Charles Avis, William 
Knowles and D. G. Olmstead mortal- 
ly wounded, while several others sus- 
tained serious wounds. 




"Stand by the Flag, on land, and ocean billow; 

By it your fathers stood, unmoved and true, 
Living, defended— dying, from their pillow, 

With their last blessing, passed it ou to you. 



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HENRY M. D'JFFIELD 

First Adjutant of the Ninth at age of 
20 years. Captain and Ass't Provost 
Marshal General on General Thomas' 
Staff, Feb., 1864 to April, 1865; Col- 
onel of State Militia; Brigadier Gen- 
eral in Spanish-American War; De- 
partment Commander of Michigan G. 
A. R. 



APPENDIX 



THE FORTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY Capitol resounded with most excel- 
REUNION HELD AT LANSING. ^T^ martial music from these good 

players. 
■ Mayor J. G. Reutter gave an elo- 

The Executive Committee of the quent address of welcome to the vis- 
National Encampment, having finally itors, which was responded to in an 
decided to hold the great assembly able manner by Comrade W. N. Sig- 
of G. A. R.'s for 1913 at Chattanooga, gins. Company G, of Zephyr Hills, 
that, under national supervision, fit- Florida, who is the Department Com- 
ting recognition might be given and mander of the G. A. R. of that state. 
proper observance made of the 50th The "Roll Call" was then begun, 
anniversary of the battle of Chicka- The fourth name called, Serg't Henry 
mauga, the date of our 1913 reunion C. Kenyon, Co. G, Jessup, Iowa, 
was changed from Sept. 19 and 20 to brought forth a very patriotic re- 
July 22 and 23, the place, from De- spouse. Comrade Kenyon is 82 years 
troit to Lansing. old, quite feeble, yet determined to 

Gettysburg may have the honor of meet his old comrades once more, 
the largest gathering of the Blue and Comrade Henry Ries, Co. F, came 
the Gray, but the state Representative from the distant northwest, travelling 
Hall at Lansing was the scene of the from Dayton, Wash., to meet with the 
greatest assembling of the survivors old Ninth for the first time since his 
of any one regiment in the state of muster out. 

Michigan — that of the Ninth Michi- One of the oldest members present 
gan Infantry on July 22 and 23, 1913, was Elias B. Brown, Co. B, of Reed 
when over 130 of the regiment met City, Mich., who has already passed 
in honor of the semi-centennial anni- the 86th milestone, 
versary year of Stone River, Chick- Ten answered "present" for the 
amauga and Chattanooga. first time at this reunion: John Van- 

Early in the morning of that, to us, Horn, Co. I, of Marquette; M. H. How- 
eventful Tuesday of July 22, 1913, the ard. Co. H, Hamilton, Ind.; Wm. Eber- 
Old Boys, many with their wives, not hard, Co. G, Colon; J. E. Weller, Co. 
a few of them accompanied by other K, Kalamazoo; Hamilton Davis, Co. 
members of their family, began to G, Corunna; Charles Sickles, Co. H, 
congregate, and by noon 100 had reg- Marion; H. A. Choate, Co. D, North 
istered with Ass't Secretary Tread- Adams; J. L. Dunn, Co. E, Onondaga, 
way, and received a fine blue badge There were a number present for 
from Miss Hope Atkins, the grand- the first time for the past 15 or 20 
daughter of Comrade Treadway, of years, and Lieut. Dan Cole was with 
Lansing. the boys after an absence of several 

Company D marched in with fife years, 
and drum, played by Comrades Fed- It was indeed remarkable to see 
ner and Fox. the veterans greet each other, many 

At two o'clock President H. C. Ran- for the first time in fifty years, and 
kin called the association to order, also to notice how well they remem- 
and presented Maj. R. H. Hendershott, bered, after all these years, the com- 
the Drummer Boy of Co. B, who, with rades they knew way back in the six- 
H. B. Hendershott, his son, and Colo- ties. There were many happy reun- 
nel L. H. Ives, Mayor of Mason, who ions, warm clasps of hands, enjoya- 
volunteered to beat the bass drum, ble tete-a-tetes, stories of memorable 
At frequent intervals all day and eve- incidents, songs listened to and felt, 
ning. and until high noon of the next recitations, and none but witnesses 
day, the corridors and rooms of the can realize the enthusiasm and 



62 

warmth of those greetings. That com- Fales, Bennett and Secretary Lester, 
rades came such long distances to A copy of this history can be ob- 
visit each other illustrates what tained from the secretary, 
strong bonds of friendship the mutual Comrade Andrews made a motion, 
dangers, privations and sufferings of seconded by Comrade Kinne, that 
army life built up during the war. $50.00 be taken from the treasury to 
There were sixty-four of the '61 Boys apply on costs of history already ad- 
present, vanced by Comrade Bennett, which 

Supper was served by the W. R C. motion was carried, 

at six, and the campfire, presided Major Hendershott and son said 

over by Pres. Rankin, began at eight they would give $125, and more if 

with several selections by Maj. Hen- needed, towards expenses at any 

dershott and his aides. time the association would meet with 

Short speeches were made by Rev. them in Chicago. He also made the 

Coglan, D. E. McClure, Col. L. H. statement that the famous Horace 

Ives, Prof. C. E. Holmes and Comrade Greeley drum, which he had with him, 

Siggins. Comrade Miller of an- should be turned over to the Ninth 

other regiment presented the Michigan Association when he was 

association with a hatchet be- through with it. 

longing to Barry O. Morton of Co. H. C. Rankin was elected president, 

C during the war, which had come W. P. Treadway 2nd vice president, 

into his possession. It was taken in F. A. Lester secretary. A committee 

charge by Serg't Lyman, a tentmate consisting of P. A. Lester, sec; 

of the deceased comrade. W. G. Miner, Co. D; C. B. 

It was brought to the attention of Andrews, Co. I; H. S. Hub- 
the association that the flag which bard, Co. C; and W. P. Tread- 
was saved from capture at Murfrees- way, Co. P, was elected to select the 
boro, July 13. 1862. by Calvin Moon time and place for holding the next 
(Lockwood) of Co. K, was in the pos- reunion, and also to select the 1st 
session of a Mr. Spencer of Powler- vice president. 

ville, and a committee consisting of A resolution was adopted asking 

Comrades Fisher, Kelley and Andrews that the error in the date of enlist- 

was appointed to call upon him and ment of Comrade Hendershott be rec- 

ask him to turn the flag over to the tified. 

association. The following telegram was sent to 

Wednesday morning session was Captain Marble: "Your former com- 
opened at nine o'clock with prayer rades in reunion at Lansing convey 
by Comrade W. G. Miner. The busi- to you and your devoted wife their 
ness part of the session centered affectionate regards and greetings." 
around Captain Bennett's "Histori- Throughout the entire reunion there 
cal Sketches" which went over from were more ladies present than ever 
last year at .lackson, and which were before — soldiers' wives and daughters, 
ordered printed by the association, widows of deceased soldiers; and 
The captain's presentation of this sub- there were more guests than on any 
ject upon which he had put so much previous occasion — all friendly, cheer- 
thought and effort was entertaining ful and enthusiastic as possible, 
and convincing; following which sev- Everybody was in accord and 
eral assistants were kept busy dur- agreed that they had enjoyed them- 
ing a brief recess registering orders selves, and that the effort to be pres- 
for the history, comrades subscribing ent was worth all the cost. And ev- 
usually for two. three and four copies eryone promised to be on hand next 
for themselves and children. year and tell every other comrade 

Comrade J. W. Fales generously about this great anniversary reunion, 
paid $25.00, and was followed by sev- The following is the "Roll" as call- 
oral others by smaller amounts ed, all residing in Michigan except 
towards a fund for placing cloth as noted: 

bound copies of the history of the Company A. — Lieut. D. W. Cole. i2. 

regiment and of its reunions in all P. Draper, .T. T. Watrus, Chas. Van 

libraries in Michigan in localities Ness, John Hall, True Hart. M. W. 

where the different companies enlist- Dickerson. 

ed, as may be recommended by the Company B. — L. E. Coder, North 

Committee on Distribution— Comrades Liberty, Ind.; R. H. Hendershott. 



Chicago, 111.; Francis Hanover, E. B. 
Brown, W. W. Crocker, O. A. Carley, 
L. C. Spink, T. P. Bristow, C. A. 

Brunk, H. B. Hendersliott (honorary). 
Company C. — E. G. Lyman, Frank 

Lester, A. A. Leach, T. S. Vining, Lt. 

F. A. Palmer (C, I and F), H. C. Ran- 
kin, H. S. Hubbard, Toledo, Ohio; 

G. N. Halsey, Stephen Wyman, C. 
E. Redner, Fred Coons, H. T. Mills, 
Henry Anderson, B. B. Anderson, J. 
A. Lockwood. 

Company D.— J. W. Klotz, W. G. 
Miner, E. D. Calkins, Sam Bingham, 
Joseph Hanchett, C. T. Smith, M. S. 
Howell, R. Luscher, J. A. Dalzell, 
James Jourdan, John Waters, D. W. 
Lightner, Geo. Lininger, D. D. Sabin, 
A. A. Miner, H. A. Choat, Sylvester 
Rumsey. Theron Gladden. John Van 
Horn, H. C. Glines, O. B. Willey. E. 
C. Fox (honorary). 

Company E. — Lieut. A. S. Bunnell 
(D, CandE), J.L.Dunn, Jacob Strong, 
J. A. Sutton, D. J. Holbrook. 

Company F. — Henry Ries, Dayton, 
Wash.; E. E. Tiech, W. P. Treadway, 
C. E. Rhodes, LaFayette Davis, S. A. 
Crane, M. H. Miller, Geo. Graham, J. 
W. Fales, W. D. Storrs, J. A. Rhodes, 
H. E. Newton, S. A. Spaulding. 

Company G. — H. C. Kenyon, Jesup, 
Iowa; Fred Lantz, Lieut. C. W. Ben- 
nett (F), Wm. Eberhard, Thomas 
Rhodes. J. F. O'Loughlin, Milwaukee, 
Wis.; D. G. Parker, John Thompson. 
C. L. Fish, Warren Newton, William 
Tadman. Obediah Johnson, W. N. 
Siggins. Zephyr Hills, Fla.; C. H. 
Yates, Gottlieb Kramer. Hamilton 
Davis. 

Company H. — E. G. IngersoU, Chi- 
cago. 111.; J. W. Quinn, Madison, Wis.; 
M. A. Howard, Hamilton, Ind.; N. W. 
Tracy, W. O. Hendryx, Chas. Sickles, 
W. O. Horton, L. A. Bronson, T. L. 
Millard, J. C. Hills, Edwin Camp. 

Company I. — Capt. B. H. Stevens, 
John VanHorn. C. B. Andrews, Lieut. 
C. A. Kelley, H. L. Crippen, G. W. 
Haynes, Harrison Crippen, Ernest 
Crippen, Henry Doty, S. E. House. 

Company K. — W. H. Ostrom, Dan. 
McCoIlum. Oren Bowen, L. E. Fuller, 
Marvin Benjamin, J. G. Copeland, Al- 
vin Stage, J. S. Stage, G. L. Fisher. 
Edgar Durfee, V. C. Smith. Isaac 
Morse, T. E. Morse, W. H. Sheffield. 
J. A. Tanner, W. H. Gould, Samuel 
Garrison. J. E. Weller. J. E. Kinne. 



63 

N. R. Scott, H. B. Appleton, C. D. 
Parsons. 

Resolutions were passed during the 
closing hours thanking the entire 
Treadway family for their activities 
in playing host and hostesses on a 
big scale, also acknowledging obliga- 
tions to the bass drummer. Mayor L. 
H. Ives, of Mason. 

The attendance was the third 
largest of all our forty-five years of 
meetings, and secretary Lester read 
scores of letters and cards from com- 
rades all over the country who sent 
fraternal greetings, and regrets that 
they could not be present. 

The year 1913 will be always held 
in vivid remembrance for its half-cen- 
tury recollections of the war — Lin- 
coln's Emancipation Proclamation 
taking effect, Gettysburg's tide of in- 
vasion and great set-back of the Con- 
federates, Vicksburg's triumphant 
capture, Chickamauga's long death 
roll of the Blue and the Gray, and 
scores of other consecrated Civil war 
memories of '63. (From reports by 
Comrades Rankin and Lester). 



Letters of Regret. 

Letters and cards of kindly greet- 
ings and regrets that they could not 
be present were received and read 
from the following: 

Staff— Major Wm. Jenney, Dr. A. K. 
Frain, Commisary Serg't., M. D. Hall- 
aday, Band. 

Company A — Alex. Abar, David Ad- 
amson, Geo. W. Green, Alpheus Grov- 
enburgh, Robt. A. Hamilton. 

Company B — E. A. Burnett, W. D. 
Burroughs, John Decker, Joseph Hill, 
Wm. F. Hurlbutt, E. M. Pressey, W. 
C. Tanner, J. H. Thatch, Mrs. Martha 
Conquest-Hutchinson, W. F. Canady. 

Company C — Hiram Beardsley, Ben 
Dearing, E. H. Davis, A. H. Gallup, 
Arnold Lamdin. C. W. Shepard. 

Company D — Alex. M. Bennett, Ran- 
som Braman, H. R. Cunningham, H. 
R. Harper, W. H. Hassett, James Hag- 
erty. 

Company E— E. E. Carter, C. L. 
Hogue, Geo. M. Mott. 

Company F— Capt. E. Marble, W. W. 
Brown, John Colby, L. L. Davis, J. P. 
Rhodes, B. A. Roath, C. D. Whitman. 

Companv G — A. J. Brown, Goo. Gor- 
ball, P. W. Hilliar, G. W. Hubbell, Bar- 



64 

low Smith, Benj. Stoddard, A. B. Whip- 
ple. 

Company H — Jacob Giithard, Lieut. 
J. V. Henry, Mrs. O. M. Corey. 

Company I — Joseph Brown, J. F. 
Cotton, L. O. Ford, Lieut. J. B. Gun- 
ning, Peter Lehman, Alex. Scougale, 
I. J. Secord, Perry Starkweather, 
Elias Whitcomb. 

Company K — C. L. Brinck, D. L. 
Brinck, H. H. Hause, Josiah Miller, 
Albert Slater, Wm. E. Surine. 

THE FORT WAYNE MEETING. 

The following attended the Fiftieth 
Anniversary Reunion at Fort Wayne, 
Sept. 20, 21, 1911. Nearly all of their 
portraits are in the cut at the close 
of this book. 

Field and Staff— Major William Jen- 
ney, Adjutant Henry M. Dufheld. 

Band — James W. Clark, Thomas 
Rhodes, Wellington White. 

Company A — Alex. Abar, W. H. 
Crawford, Charles Finch, A. K. Frain, 
Samuel Fuller, True Hart, H. A. 
Smith, J. T. Watrous. 

Company B — E. A. Burnett, L. E. 
Cole, J. Conquest, W. H. Converse," 
James Kelley, L. C. Spink. 

Company C — H. Anderson, F. Coons, 

E. H. Davis, M. M. Dickerson, A. H. 
Gallup, C. W. Hubbard, H. S. Hub- 
bard, A. A. Leach, F. Lester. E. G. 
Lyman, H. T. Mills, D. W. Moulton, 

F. A. Palmer, W. W. Pixley, H. C. 
Rankin, L. E. Springsteen, C. Tripp, 
T. S. Vining. 

Company D — A. Barrett, D. L. 
Boyden, A. Bunker, A. S. Bunnell, E. 

C. Fox, Geo. R. Gibbs, H. C. Glines, 
J. Hanchett, W. H. Hassett, M. S. 
Howell, J. Jourdan, J. W. Klotz, D. 
Lightner, Geo. Lininger, R. Lusk, A. 
A. Miner. W. G. Miner, S. Rumsey, D. 

D. Sabin, D. F. Saxton, C. T. Smith, 
J. W. VanHorn, J. N. Wallace, O. B. 
Wiley. 

Company E — W. E. Armstrong, W. 
A. Benjamin, C. Brace, C. E. Brace, H. 
Evans, D. J. Holbrook, Geo. M. Mott. 
L. N. Rabedeau, J. A. Sutton, J. 
Strauss, Geo. VanNest. 

Company F — J. Allen, W. F. Brews- 
ter. J. E. Colby, J. Downey, J. W. 
Fales, Geo. Graham, M. H. Miller, A. 
Nevins, E. E. Tiech, W. P. Treadway, 
R. Wallace, R. C. WilliaiAs, W. W. 
Wines. 

Company G — C. W. Bennett, A. C. 
Chapaton, H. C. Kenyon, G. Kramer, 
F. Lantz. S. A. Mansfield, W. Newton, 



J. F. O'Loughlin, G. Sedelow, B. J 
Stoddard, C. H. Yates. 

Company H — J. Ackley, L. A. Bron 
son, W. H. Egleston, J. Guthard, F 
T. Hawkins, W. O. Horton, E. G. In 
gersoll, G. R. Perse, E. Slayton, W 
H. Taylor, J. H. VanArmon. 

Company I — C. B. Andrews, J. P. 
Armstrong, J. F. Cotton, E. M. Crip 
pen, H. L. Crippen, H. Doty, S. E 
House, W. Howton, C. A. Kelley, H 
C. Paddock, Jas. Remington, J. Sorter 
P. Starkweather, B. H. Stevens, Chas 
Thompson. 

Company K — H. B. Appleton, W. E 
Bennett, J. G. Copeland, M. Dennison, 
E. Durfee, Geo. L. Fisher, S. Garri- 
son, W. H. Gould, D. McCollum, L 
Moore, T. E. Morse, C. D. Parsons, V. 
C. Smith, A. Stage, J. F. Stage, J. A. 
Towner. E. VanWormer. 

The address of every comrade men- 
tioned in this book can be found in 
Frank A. Lester's unequalled Roster 
of 1911, which every member of the 
Ninth should have. 



Comrades should make every possi- 
ble effort to attend all these enjoya- 
ble gatherings, because. 

Our eyes are growing dim, 
Our ranks becoming thin; 
X few more years in sweet commun- 
ions 
Will mark the last of our reunions. 
"On mountain sides 
In ocean's tides. 
Our slumbering heroes calmly wait. 
Till years are run. 
Time's work all done. 
One Mighty Hand shall swing 
death's gate. 
And bear us all beyond the sun" — 
To join an everlasting Union. 



HON. HENRY C. RANKIN 

President of Ninth Michigan Infantry 

Association. 

Comrade H. C. Rankin, who has so 
ably and eloquently written the his- 
tory of our reunions, has been active 
either as an ofTicer or on committees 
nearly all these forty-five years of our 
meetings. He was elected represen- 
tative to the legislature from the 
second district of Washtenaw county, 
Nov. 8, 1910, and served two years 
as a "live wire" of that body. The 
Michigan Red Book says: 

"He was born in Rending. Ponnsyl- 




MORTIMER MANSFIELD, In 1875 
Captain Co. G. Breveted Colonel 

"for gallant and moritorions services 

during the war." 




GENERAL JOHN GIBSON PARKHURST, in 1905 

Died at Coldwater, Mich., May 6, 1906 
Was Secretary of the Charleston Convention, 1860; 
U. S. Marshal Dlst. of Mich., 1866-69; Minister to 
Belgium, 1888-89. 



vania, December 1, 1843. The Ran- 
kins moved to Michigan in 1856, set- 
tling on a farm in Jackson county. 
During the Civil war Mr. Rankin 
served three years in the Ninth Mich- 
igan Infantry and one year in the 
U. S. veteran volunteers. During 
Grant's administrations he was an 
active figure in Jackson county poli- 
tics, although he persistently declined 
office. In 1876 he graduated from the 
Ypsilanti Normal and later took the 
full classical course in Olivet College, 
receiving his degree from that insti- 
tution. He was superintendent of 
schools at Cassopolis, Leslie, Buchan- 
an and Lapeer. For more than twenty 
years his services as an educator 
were in demand. He has been suc- 
cessful in soliciting college endow- 
ments and in late years has taught 
in the Cleary Business College at Yp- 
silanti. He is married and has three 
children. One daughter is Mrs. Dr. 
Grawn, of Duluth, one is assistant 
instructor in English in the State Nor- 
mal College, and his son, Paul, thir- 
teen years old, is a junior in the Yp- 
silanti high school. He is a Republi- 
can and was elected to the legisla- 
ture November 8, 1910, by a vote of 
1,993 to 1,885 for Frank Johnson and 
116 for Albert D. Newton." 

Comrade Rankin is not only an ar- 
dent Republican, but he was a lead- 
er for woman suffrage and in all tem- 
perance legislation, and he hopes to 
live to see his wife a voter, and the 
whole state of Michigan "Dry." 

Governor Chase S. Osborn appoint- 
ed him Honorary Colonel "for merit- 
orious services to the state of Michi- 
gan." He is a teacher of mathematics 
in the Cleary Business College, where 
he is known as "the lightning calcu- 
lator." 



THE DRUMMER BOY OF THE 
RAPPAHANNOCK. 

Comrade Hendershott, the original 
drummer boy of Company B, on Dec. 
11, 1862, at Fredericksburg, perform- 
ed an act of so much bravery for a 
boy that he won the title of "The 
Drummer Boy of the Rappahannock." 
For 29 years he held that title un- 
disputed, giving exhibitions of his 
skill all over the country. But, 
though he held certificates of com- 
mendation for that act from Gens. 



65 

Scott and Burnside, and from Stan- 
ton, Lincoln and others, and all that 
time carried the drum presented to 
him three months after his brave act 
by Horace Greeley before a large au- 
dience in New York city, at the Na- 
tional Encampment held in Detroit in 
1891, some of the 7th Michigan infan- 
try raised the claim that Hendershott 
was not the boy that won the honors 
at Fredericksburg, but that it was a 
drummer of their regiment. They 
did not notify Horace Greeley when 
he sent for Hendershott to come to 
New York to be honored by a public 
reception that he was giving the 
drum to the wrong boy, and for 29 
years they had neglected to honor 
their own boy! 

In reading the letters written to 
my father during the war in search 
of data for these sketches I found 
one dated Murfreesboro, Tenn., Sun- 
day, March 15, 1863, containing the 
following passage: 

"The drummer boy, Hendershott, 
that you see mentioned so much in 
the papers, came with Co. C from 
Jackson. He was so young (less than 
eleven years old) that the mustering 
officer refused to muster him into 
the regiment. But he was so deter- 
mined to go that he went as a waiter 
for my Captain, Chase. While at 
West Point he got mustered in as a 
drummer in Co. B, though by an over- 
sight the muster did not appear on 
the roll until in the following spring 
of 1862. He was captured, paroled 
and sent to Camp Chase with his com- 
pany, and there was mustered out 
because of his extreme youth. Soon 
after he re-enlisted in the 8th Michi- 
gan infantry and was with that regi- 
ment at Fredericksburg when he won 
his fame. He is a small, bold, father- 
less city boy, but naturally smart and 
intelligent. I enclose a clipping from 
a Nashville daily paper that tells 
about his adventure and reception in 
New York." 

The following is the clipping from 
the daily paper: 

"The drummer boy who crossed 
the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg 
with the first boat of soldiers, in the 
face of the enemy, was pi'esented to 
the great war meeting in New York 
city, on Friday night last. Gen. Wet- 
more, in presenting him said: 

" 'You will remember, that at the 
battle of Fredericksburg, many men 



volunteered to cross the river and 
spike the guns of the enemy. This 
boy insisted upon going with them 
but was told that he was too small. 
When the first boat shoved off he 
hung on to the stern of the boat, and 
went over in the water. (Applause). 
While on the other side he picked 
off a rebel, got his gun and brought 
it over. (Applause). General Burn- 
side praised him in the face of the 
army. He is a drummer boy, and has 
got his drum here. It was presented 
to him today by Mr. Horace Greeley. 
of the Tribune, for his gallantry. 
His name is Robert Henry Hender- 
shott — and he shot a rebel. (Ap- 
plause). He belongs to the Eighth 
Michigan infantry. He will now beat 
a tune for you!' (Cheers). The boy 
then came forward and beat a tat- 
too on his drum in a truly artistic 
style, very much to the gratification 
of the audience, who cheered him 
loudly." 

Now that letter and newspaper 
clipping written a few days after the 
event in New York (which were ex- 
hibited and read at the Jackson re- 
union, and a vote of confidence given 
to comrade Hendershott) give incon- 
trovertible evidence that Robert Hen- 
ry Hendershott (and not any other 
name) was the original "Drummer 
Boy of the Rappahannock." 



Drummer Boy of the Ninth. 

Thomas Rhodes enlisted in Moul- 
ton's Ninth Michigan Cornet Band or- 
ganized in Coldwater in August, 1861, 
as snare drummer; served with the 
band until captured at Murfreesboro, 
paroled at McMinnville, and on reach- 
ing Camp Chase was mustered out 
under a general order from the War 
Department discharging all regimental 
baiids. 

When the regiment was in Cold- 
water to reorganize as Veterans in 
January, 1864, the officers unanimous- 
ly elected him Drum Major of the reg- 
iment, but because of his extreme 
youth he modestly declined. But in 
the following summer (Aug. 20, 1864). 
he re-enlisted and was assigned to 
Ihe Ninth and arrived at Chattanooga 
in October after Hood's army had 
torn up the railroad in several places 
south of there. Finally Lieut. Col. 
Wilkinson arrived from Michigan, 
where he had been on furlough, and 



by his request Rhodes selected fifteen 
volunteers to go through to Atlanta, 
when it was considered so dangerous 
that teams were not allowed to go. 
They secured some old Belgian mus- 
kets and sallied forth, Wilkinson in 
command. One day while sitting down 
to rest a rebel cavalry force came 
within a few rods of them, but for- 
tunately overlooked them. After some 
days they reached Resaca, where they 
took a train for Atlanta, arriving 
there on Sunday, Oct. 30. Capt. Mans- 
field immediately disarmed Rhodes, 
giving him a drum instead, and he 
used that until mustered out of the 
service. The joke on Rhodes was 
that the next day, before he had time 
to rest, the regiment started for Chat- 
tanooga, and he had to march that 
138 miles all over again, through rain 
and mud! 

Since the war he has been almost 
continuously playing in some band, 
and this summer (1913), he is playing 
two or three times a week in the 
Coldwater Light Guard Band. He is 
not only the oldest (having exper- 
ienced fifty odd years of service), but 
he is also considered the best drum- 
mer in the state. 



PARKHURST AND LOOMIS. 
"What Might Have Been." 

The firing on Ft. Sumpter on Fri- 
day and Saturday, April 12 and 13, 
1861, and its evacuation on Sunday, 
followed on Monday, April 15, by a 
proclamation by President Lincoln 
calling for 75,000 volunteers created 
intense excitement all over the 
North. On Wednesday evening of the 
17th a "war meeting" was held in the 
Branch county court house, when 
.Tohn G. Parkhurst, a prominent at- 
torney, "unexpected.'y made a soeech 
that was enthusiastically cheered," as 
h<^ wrote it in his diary. The speech 
was considered so good that it was 
published in the local paper. He 
later addressed many war meetings 
in the city, Quincy, Batavia and oth- 
er parts of the county, in the mean 
time applying to Gov. Blair for a 
military appointment. 

For several weeks entries like the 
following are to be found in his diary: 
"Spent most of the day in war ex- 
citement;" "So much war excitement 
I could do no business;" "There was 



a large crowd in town today and all 
excited." 

Monday, April 29, the "Coldwater 
Cadets" (Captain Butterworth, Com- 
pany C, First Michigan three months 
service), left for Detroit, and on be- 
half of the ladies Miss Louise Noyes 
(sister of Orlando Noyes and Mrs. 
Parkhurst) made a speech and pre- 
sented a flag to the company, to which 
Parkhurst responded on behalf of the 
company; and when they returned 
from service in August he again made 
a speech for the company in response 
to a speech of welcome by the Mayor. 

The next day, Tuesday, April 30, 
the "Coldwater Light i^rtillery" left 
for Detroit on three months service, 
with Henry C. Lewis, Captain, and 
John W. Culp and Wm. Cartshuff, 
Lieutenants. Both of these compan- 
ies were already in the state militia. 
The government finally decided to ac- 
cept artillery only on three years 
terms, and so the officers and a 
large part of the men who had not 
arranged to be absent that long came 
home. But action was at once taken 
to fill the artillery company with 
three years men, and H. C. Lewis, 
John W. Culp and John H. Young call- 
ed on Parkhurst and solicited him to 
take the appointment as Captain of 
the company, which he at once ac- 
cepted. But when the time came for 
him to join the company he wrote 
in his diary, "Amelia (his wife) is so 
seriously sick I could not leave her 
to go to Detroit today." After long 
suffering, during which he gave her 
his undivided attention day and night, 
I\Irs. Parkhurst died on July 26. 

September 3 Parkhurst received no- 
tice from Gov. Blair of his appoint- 
ment as Lieut. Colonel of the Ninth 
Infantry, which he at once accepted. 

No one can tell what different his- 
tories Battery A and the Ninth Infan- 
try might have written had Mrs. Park- 
hurst not been sick at that time. 

Saving the Flag. 

Comrade Geo. L. Fisher, of Com- 
pany K, writes the!: while the officers 
were considering the demand by G^n. 
Forrest for the surrender at Murfrees- 
boro, Calvin Moon, of Company K, 
who was then employed at regimental 
headquarters, secured the Headquar- 
ters Flag with the soldier's sentiment 
of keeping it from the hands of the 



67 

enemy. By suggestion of Lieut. L. V. 
Curry they wrapped it around Moon's 
body under his blouse, and when the 
i-ebel officers inquired for it no one 
seemed to know where it was. Moon 
thus carried the flag safely to Mc- 
Minnville where we were paroled, 
and then to Camp Chase, where he 
was discharged for disability and 
went home to Fowlerville, Mich. He 
has exhibited the flag at several re- 
unions, and kept it until his death 
several years ago, since which it has 
been in possession of James P. Spen- 
cer, of Fowlerville. 

It ought to be deposited with our 
other flags in the state museum at 
Lansing, with the story of its preser- 
vation. (At the Lansing reunion, July 
22-23, 1913, a committee was appoint- 
ed to try and get this done). 



Indebted to General Hooker. 

Comrade John W. Klots, of Com- 
pany D, says that one day when the 
army was near Atlanta he was Order- 
ly in front of General Thomas' tent 
and General Hooker called on him. 
After conversing some time about the 
campaign he overheard Thomas tell 
Hooker that so many regiments were 
jealous and so much complaint had 
been made because he had kept the 
Ninth so long for his headquarters 
guard — the claim being made that 
other regiments should be given the 
honor for a time — that he had just 
told General Whipple (Chief of Staff) 
to send the Ninth to Gen. Jeff C. Davis 
for assignment to regular field ser- 
vice in his (14th) corps. (The Ninth 
belonged to the 14th corps but was 
on special duty with Thomas). Gen- 
eral Hooker replied, "If I had a regi- 
ment that had stopped stampedes in 
my army twice at critical times when 
a battle was raging, I would stick by 
it rather than to change for an un- 
tried regiment. If I had had such a 
regiment to perform that service and 
stop my right wing when it broke at 
Chancellorsville I would not have lost 
that battle." 

After Hooker left General Thomas 
seemed to meditate a few moments 
and then called to Klots, "Orderly, 
give my compliments to Gen. Whip- 
ple and tell him if he has not yet 
issued that order about the Ninth to 
not issue it; if he has issued it, re- 
call it." Klots delivered the message. 



and the Ninth held its position of 
honor and trust all through the war 
and to the close of its service 
months after, by this advice of Gen- 
eral Hooker. Klots could not relate 
this incident during the war as it 
would have subjected him to disci- 
pline for breach of confidence. 



A CONFEDERATE MUNCHAUSEN. 

In the spring of 1912 while search- 
ing for information to write an ac- 
count of the Battle of Murfreesboro 
I found in Wyeth's "Life of General 
Forrest" the following story, briefly 
summarized: 

A Captain William Richardson said 
that he and another man were held 
in the Murfreesboro jail as spies; 
that Saturday afternoon, July 12, 
1862, they were Informed that they 
would be executed at sunrise the next 
morning (having had no trial), and 
if they had any preparations to make 
they should make them at once; that 
they spent the fore part of that night 
with a minister, a Rev. Hensley; that 
when Forrest attacked the place just 
after daylight on Sunday morning, 
July 13, several of the soldiers guard- 
ing the jail (Co. B men) rushed into 
the passageway in front of their cell 
and attempted to shoot them through 
the bars in the door, but they 
saved themselves by crouching 
in a corner out of range of 
the guns; that then one of 
the guards set a bundle of papers 
on fire and shoved it under some 
loose boards in the floor, thus set- 
ting the jail on fire, and then all the 
guards ran to their company in the 
Court House, carrying the keys of the 
jail; that it was only with great ef- 
forts that Forrest's men saved their 
lives by prying the door open a lit- 
tle with a heavy iron bar so they 
could just crawl out. 

"After the fighting had ceased and 
the Federal prisoners were all 
brought together Gen. Forrest came 
to me and said, 'They tell me that 
these men treated you inhumanly 
while in jail. Point them out to me.' 
I told him there was but one man I 
wished to call his attention to, and 
that was the one who set fire to the 
jail in order to burn us up. Forrest 
asked me to go along the line with him 
and point the man out. I did so. 
(How could he select the right one 



who set fire when at that time the 
spy said he was hiding in the cell out 
of sight of the guards?) A few hours 
later, when the list of the private sol- 
diers was called, the name of this 
man was called and no one answered. 
Forrest said, 'Pass on, it's all right.' 
The Michigan company in the Court 
House lost three men wounded, and 
one WNACCOUNTBD FOR;" which 
meant that Forrest had executed the 
company B man they claimed set the 
jail on fire. This story was repub- 
lished in the Nashville Sunday Demo- 
crat of Sept. 22, 1912, where it was 
asserted that a gallows had been 
erected. 

Now notice the absurdities of that 
story. I had never heard of it before, 
and as it was a disgracing charge 
against the humanity and soldierly 
conduct of Company B men, I decided 
to investigate it. Col. Parkhurst and 
all the officers that might know of 
such occurrences are dead, and so I 
had to write to sergeants and pri- 
vates for information. After writing 
dozens of letters I have been unable 
to find a single man of the Ninth who 
ever heard of such an occurrence. 
Such an unusual event as executing 
two spies would have been the talk 
of the army there. Spies were never 
executed without a trial — never ex- 
ecuted privately. All the troops in 
the city would have been paraded on 
that morning to witness ihe execution 
for its moral effect. At least some 
one ought to know about the build- 
ing of the gallows. Col. Parkhurst, 
as military governor of che district, 
would no doubt have had to approve 
the sentences, and he did not mention 
it in his diary, and neither he nor any 
one of the regiment has ever mention- 
ed such an event at any of our an- 
nual reunions and "camp-fires" held 
for over forty years past. It was sav- 
agery to shoot unarmed prisoners — 
it was fiendish to try to burn them 
up! There were not only about a 
score of citizens in the jail, but also 
half a dozen Federal soldiers held 
for disorderly conduct. It is unthink- 
able that any man of company P. 
would burn up his own comrades and 
a score of other people for the sake 
of killing two spies. 

In my extensive correspondence 
about the matter I learned that Capt. 
Richardson was still living, and a 
member of Congress from Huntsville 




> 

UJ 

o ■£ 

M 

(S) en 



DC ui 
< 




Alabama. So I wrote him to kindly second story. The jail was not set 
give fuller detailed particulars. He on fire. He knows it was brick, and 
replied briefly under date of Sept. saw it and walked all around it four 
23, 1912, "I was in jail with another days afterwards, when it was stand- 
prisoner and we were delivered by ing uninjured. Company B lost no 
Forrest's men substantially as stated man killed or missing. He and his 
by Dr. Wyeth (Forrest's biographer), squad did fearful execution by firing 
His account of the affair is substan- on the rebels from the windows and 
tially correct. The jail was on fire roof of the hotel, and fearing the reb- 
when we were delivered. It was a els might wreak special vengence on 
frame affair and was consumed in a them if taken there, when the sur- 
very short time after we were tak- render came they slipped around the 
en out." You see he still adheres to back way and surrendered with Gen- 
the false tale— and he is a Congress- eral Crittenden as if a part of his 
man! guards. 

Now for the evidence. The jail Comrade Wm. F. Hurlbutt, Co. B, 
was located on a street running west Buchanan, Mich., writes that he went 
from the Court House and about two on guard at the jail Saturday morn- 
blocks from it. It was a two story ing, July 12, and was there all the 
building; all who express an opin- time until the attack came on Sun- 
ion say it was brick; the guards oc- day morning, a little after four 
cupied one room on the first floor, o'clock. No minister entered the jail 
and five or six Federal soldiers were during all of that time. There were 
in another room on the first floor, no spies in the jail; no gallows had 
held for various misdemeanors, been erected; no one tried to shoot 
About twenty citizens, including the the prisoners, who were above out 
"hostages" and others held for dis- of reach of our guns; the jail was 
orderly conduct, were on the second not set on fire. "Only one man was 
floor. on guard with me in the jail when 

Sergeant E. A. Burnett, of Co. B, the attack came. We each fired two 
4204 McPherson Ave., St. Louis, Mo., or three shots at the enemy in the 
writes me that he was Sergeant of street before they bursted in the back 
the jail guards on the Friday before door, when we at once surrendered, 
the fight and mingled freely with the I had the keys of the jail and gave 
prisoners in delivering them delica- them to the rebels who unlocked the 
cies sent in by friends; that there cell and released Tom Morgan, a 
were no spies in the jail— that story young brother of Gen. Morgan, who 
is all a myth; that the only impor- was the only important prisoner in 
tant prisoner was a boy brother of the jail and the only one m a cell, 
Gen. Morgan. Tom Morgan, whom the and then all the rest of the prisoners 
cavalry brought in from the country were set free. After the company 
a few days before, and who was surrendered at the Court House there 
so nice that he at once became a gen- was no line-up of the company so a 
eral favorite, but was to be sent to man could go along and select out 
Nashville the next Monday. Burnett a man, and there was no roll call ot 
savs no person was condemned to the company until we got back to 
death while Co. B occupied the Nashville. The company had three 
Court House. When the attack came wounded, but not a man was killed 
on Sunday morning Burnett had five or 'missing.' " 

men quartered in a vacant hotel at Comrade E. M. Reynolds, Co. B, 
the corner of the public square. The Prineville, Ore., says he never heard 
jail was the first object of attack in of that spy story before, and pro- 
the city, and was in plain view from nounces every item false from begin- 
his hotel. The jail guards did not ning to end. 

try to go to the Court House for it Comrade Francis Hanover, Co. B, 
was two blocks awav, and the street Galien, Mich., pronounces the whole 
full of rebel cavalry; the guards did story a fabrication from start to fin- 
not try to shoot any prisoners for ish. 

they were too busy shooting at the Comrade W. F. Canady, Co. B, Ma- 
rebels in the street, and could not nette, Wash., writes that he is very 
have reached the prisoners if they positive that there was no roll call 
had tried because they were in the of his company after the battle, and 



7(D 

company B did not have a man kill- they all agree that the jail was a 

ed or missing. brick structure, was not burned dur- 

Comrade E. M. Pressev, Co. B, Che- i^S the fight on July 13, 1862, but was 

topa. Kan., writes July 10, 1913, "That "^ed many years after. He sends me 

spy story is a one-sided falsehood from ^^e name of a Confederate soldier 

start to finish. I know the jail was living at Readyville (near Murfrees- 

brick, and no man was killed by For- boro) who was with General Forrest 

rest, and only three wounded." i" that battle, and he confirms those 

Comrade R. H. Hendershott, Co. statements. 

B, Oak Park, 111., wrote me thkt he ^^^ourtesy forbids my publishing 

never heard of any spies in the jail, these names, but I can use them if 

"That is a story for an occasion— "®^, ^ ,, . . .,. * ., ^ 

a fake." Later, while on a concert ^ The following is positive proof that 

tour in the south he wrote me, "Tal- ^^n ^"""^^^ J^if^ not execute a man 

lapoosa, Ga., Oct. 19, 1912. We play- o^ Company B for setting fire to the 

ed for the Blue and the Gray parade •" »i+„.„ ^f n^-^, • . ,. . ^ ^ 

yesterday. Some of the Gra?s be- ...K^^^^l ^/^l^^^' ^^.^.^L^^L?^^" 



longed to the Georgia regiment that 
captured Co. B at the Court House. 



eral's Office, Lansing, November 8, 

1912. 

"Mr. C. W. Bennett, Coldwater, Mich. 



They remember me as the little drum- ..^^ o- rp^ .^ ^^ +i • ^ 

mer boy. They say there were no . ^^ h t n '^u ""L^^ilf 

spies in the jail at that time; that ^^^ "I'T V'^* Company B, 9th Mich- 
the jail was a brick building, and ^^^^ ^"fr*'^;;-,?'^ """^ ?'^ "" ''"?^ 
was not set on fire " "^^'^' ^^ther killed or 'unaccounted 

^ . ' . ■ for,' in the battle of Murfreesboro, 

I have received a letter from a Tenn., July 13, iab2, nor in any other 
relative of the spy, a prominent per- battle in that year, 
sonage, in which he wrote, "It is pos- "Yours very truly, 

sible that such a story was allowed "ROY C. VANDERCOOK, 

to go out when it was not based on "Adjutant General." 

^^ts. J might keep on quoting similar evi- 

A letter from a prominent business dence if space did not forbid, 
man of Murfreesboro, a Conferedate It is regretful that the author of 
soldier, says, "I lived close to this so important a book as a "Life of 
place at that time. I don't believe General Forrest" should have been 
the statements in the Wyeth book, inveigled into publishing such a 
A long time after the war men are "cock and bull story" and a picture 
apt to 'stretch the blanket.' " of the alleged hero. Is it possible 

Another prominent merchant of that such an absurd story was in- 
Murfreesboro writes me that "The vented, as it would seem, just to gain 
jail was a brick building; it was not cheap notoriety, and to stigmatize the 
burned during the battle July 13, 1862, men of Company B with cruelty to 
but was used as a jail until 1887, prisoners — perhaps to help offset the 
when it was destroyed by fire." horrors of Andersonville? The story 

A well known lady, an old resident resembles some of the heroic tales 
of Murfreesboro, who witnessed the humorously told by our boys at our 
battle on July 13, writes me, "The "camp-fires" when the most absurd 
jail was a brick building; it was not yarns are supposed to take the palm, 
burned down." The Ninth spent the greater part 

A prominent official of the city of of its four years service guarding 
Murfreesboro writes me, "The jail prisoners on battle fields, on trains 
was a brick building; it was not and in prisons, and it was never 
burned down in the battle of July 13, known to mistreat them. Had it done 
1862, but remained standing until so it would not have so long held its 
1887, when it was destroyed by fire, position under the immediate eye of 
and three prisoners were burned to General Thomas. 

death in it." He sends me a copy of I have written over fifty letters to 
the official records of the county court surviving members of the Ninth. 
to prove this. largely to Company B men who were 

A Federal soldier now living in in the Court House and jail: and to 
Murfreesboro writes that he has in- Pennsylvania cavalrymen and to old 
terviewed several old residents and residents of Murfreesboro. and I am 



71 

prepared to prove by eye witnesses the mules proved to have the best 

that there is not only no foundation "wind," and Eberhard escaped with 

for that spy story, but thai every his team to Nashville, 

item in it from beginning to end is He "veteranized," served four years, 

utterly false. There were no spies and was mustered out with his regi- 

in the jail at that time; no minister ment. After the war he managed a 

came there; no gallows had been big cattle ranch for several years in 

erected; no one tried to shoot any Nebraska, 
prisoner; the jail was not set on fire; 
it was not a frame building and did 

not burn down; the guards did not (The following article copied 
run to the Court House; the company from a Cold water paper is insert- 
was not lined up so a man could be ed here in accordance with a un- 
picked out; there was no roll call; animous vote of the regiment at 
General Forrest did not execute a its reunion held in Jackson. Mich., 
man for setting the jail on fire! July 13^ 1912.) 

It is for the reader to decide wheth- ' ' 

er or not that Munchausen tale was 

told simply to glorify its author — and a PROTEST FROM 

perhaps thereby gain a seat in Con- aw ni n vfxpram 

gress! No such occurrences took '^'^ ^""^ vtit«MiN 

place in Murfreesboro, Tenn., July Against Honoring Robert Lee in the 

13, 1862. The honor and conduct of Public Schools of the City. 

Company B men have been complete- ^ ^, ^,.^ 

ly vindicated. To the Editor: 

. I notice an annovincement that the 

public schools are to celebrate the 



HE SAVED HIS MULES. 



birthday of General Lee next Friday. 



I have never heard of their celebrat- 
William Eberhard left Coldwater ing the birthday of Grant, Sherman, 
with Company G, and on reaching the Sheridan or Thomas. Has it come to 
South chose to be a teamster. He this, that traitors to their country are 
seemed to "take" to mules, and they to be honored above those who helped 
"took" to him. They fairly ate to- to defend it? Will this be followed 
get her and slept together, and what he by celebrating the birthdays of Bene- 
did not know about mules was not diet Arnold, Aaron Burr, Jeft'. Davis 
worth knowing. All new and balky and Wilkes Booth? Is this the way 
mules were turned over to his train- to teach patriotism to the children, by 
ing. He was a unique character; ev- specially honoring the country's trait- 
erybody knew "Bill" Eberhard. So ors? Have we not heroes enough that 
whenever a mule was found loose any- fought for their country to receive 
where some one would cry oirt, "Bill the admiration of the children? Would 
Eberhard, here's your mule." This it not instill more patriotism into the 
became so common that finally "here's hearts of the children to remind them 
your mule" became a by-word in the of Barrett, Butterworth, Gilbert, 
regiment, and later in the army, Loomis, Parkhurst, VanPelt and hun- 
whenever anything was found loose dreds of other Branch county men 
or out of place. who offered their lives to save the 

After the surrender at Murfrees- country General Lee was trying to 
boro he told a rebel officer that his destroy? 

mules had had no water all day and If you honor Lee because he was a 
he wanted to take them to the river great general, then also honor Bene- 
to drink. The officer consented and diet Arnold who did not do one-tenth 
sent a guard with him. He drove as much injury to his country as Lee 
well out into the stream and while did. But Lee was only a subordinate 
drinking the mules suddenly became of Jeff. Davis who inspired his ac- 
unmanagable ( ?) and started for the tions. Why not place Jeff. Davis on 
opposite shore. When across Mie reb- a pedestal by the side of Abraham 
els fired at him, but missed, and Lincoln as another "typical Ameri- 
"B'll" waved his hat to them, shouted can?" 

"good bye," and put the whip to his When celebrating Lee's birthday 
mules. The rebels gave chase, but please tell the children that he was 



72 

not only a traitor, but he was also 
a base ingrate — he was educated by 
the government, was an honored offi- 
cer in the army when the rebellion 
began, was offered a higher command, 
but deliberately chose to go with 
traitors and fight to destroy the very 
government that had educated him 
and made him what he was! 

Lee was an able general, but he 
fought on the inside of a great cir- 
cle among friends who knew all the 
roads and lay of the country and will- 
ingly told him. He generally fought 
on the defensive, chose his own battle 
ground, usually behind fortifications. 
It was vastly different with the Union 
generals who were among enemies 
who would give no information, were 
on the outside of that great circle and 
so had to cover much more territory, 
had to fight on the offensive, general- 
ly assaulting fortifications where one 
man is considered equal to three on 
the outside. The only time Lee took 
the offensive in the enemies' country 
was at the battle of Gettysburg where 
he met with such a terrible defeat 
that it marked the beginning of his 
downfall. 

But when you are extolling Lee's 
ability, tell the children it was that 
ability that prolonged a war that sent 
half a million of the most vigorous 
men of the nation to untimely graves, 
and cost the nation six billion dol- 
lars, and that the nation is still pay- 
ing over $150,000,000 a year to care 
for those who lost health and limbs 
in that war. 

Tell them there are scores of vet- 
erans of that war and widows in 
Branch county that have to be aided 
by a direct county tax to keep them 
from starvation. 

Tell them that Lee's army render- 
ed hundreds of thousands of wives 
suffering widows, and made half a 
million children fatherless and depen- 
dent. Ask them to consider how they 
would like to have their fathers and 
brothers compelled to go and suffer 
and die to save the country from be- 
ing destroyed by such an ambitious 
traitor. 

Just remind the children that 
scores of them have grandfathers and 
great-uncles lying in unknown graves 
in the South, laid there by rebels un- 
der the leadership of that General 
Lee. Remind them that there are 
scores of old men in this county who 



are walking on wooden legs or crutch- 
es, have lost an arm or a hand, or 
are decrepit from wounds received 
because of the rebellion headed by 
"ihe General Lee they are extolling. 

Tell them that Lee became noted 
because he headed a most wicked re- 
bellion to destroy the Union for the 
purpose of pertuating human slavery. 
If Lincoln and his loyal soldiers were 
right in fighting four years to perpet- 
uate the Union, then Lee and his fol- 
lowers were radically wrong in try- 
ing to destroy it, and you cannot hon- 
or Lee or celebrate his acts without 
dishonoring and insulting Lincoln and 
the loyal men who fought to save the 
nation. You cannot honor Lee and 
celebrate his deeds without honoring 
the unholy cause he represented and 
led. 

The rising generation that knows 
nothing about the awfulness of the 
great Civil War should be taught that 
there is a vast difference between pa- 
triotism and treason. They cannot ap- 
preciate that difference if the leaders 
of that rebellion are honored equally 
with the defenders of our country. 
And if leading traitors are to be thus 
extolled what incentive will there bo 
for coming generations to offer to ex- 
pose their lives to defend and save 
our country? 

The children should be taught the 
eternal truth that those who fought 
to preserve the Union were everlast- 
ingly right — those who tried to de- 
stroy it in order to perpetuate human 
slavery were everlasting wrong. 

Now I am not "shaking the bloody 
shirt." • I am not unfriendly to those 
people of the South who are today 
sincerely loyal to our country, and 
honor "Old Glory" in preference to 
the emblem of rebellion. But hav- 
ing had four and a half years exper- 
ience in that terrible war, I realize 
something of its cost of suffering, 
health and treasure, and I cannot 
keep silent and hear traitors who pro- 
longed that painful struggle eulogized. 

Therefore, in the interests of pa- 
triotism and loyalty to our country, 
and in the names of the hundreds of 
veterans still living in Branch coun- 
ty, 1 protest against this insulting and 
unpatriotic celebration of an arch 
traitor to our country; and if the 
teachers do not have sense enough to 
see the absurdity of such a move, 1 
earnestly appeal to the board of edu- 





t' 

w 




^ 


-i^^i 


L 


'"^ 


'^ 




.- , ^llf- 


* "'^' ''''• X: 





Court House. Public Square, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, in 1862. 




MAJOR MANNY'S RESIDENCE 



73 

cation to prevent this insult to vet- bial; the word fear does not seem to 
erans and loyal citizens by having our be in his vocabulary, 
children honor the leader of the most "One morning during the Atlanta 
causeless, most cruel, most bloody, campaign while he and his staff were 
most costly and most unholy rebellion mounting to go to inspect the lines 

a rebel battery caught sight of them 
and our camp, and opened fire on 
them. The shells plowed through our 
camp lively and one passed just over 



civilization has ever known. 
"The war for the Union was everlast- 
ingly right; 



The war against the Union was^ ever- ^^^^ general's head and buried itself 
" ^ ^-''^ jj^ g^ large tree just behind him. While 

his staff officers and others were dodg- 
ing and "ducking," Thomas did not 
seem to move a muscle, but calmly 



lastingly wrong."— Garfield. 

howe'er you ex- 



-let us use 



Treason is treason, 

cuse it; 
Patriotism, right, for aye 

it. 

C. W. BENNETT. 

Coldwater, Mich., Jan. 13, 1912. 



turned to Parkhurst and said, 'Colonel, 
you better move the camp to one side 
a little, out of range of that battery,' 
and then slowly walked his horse 

fTelenhones from all over the city away. 

ueiepuoutb i um , ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ 

jnigled f'',}:^l'l^^^%^^''J^^^^^^^ wavering before the murderous fire 

board °f ^^f^^^^^t °n and ^^ ^^^^ ^ ^^ Chickamauga, Thomas 

durmg that evening and the next fore ^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ .^^^ ^1^^ ^^.^^, 

noon that ^he ^tter had to hav^ an ^^^^ ^^ encourage the men, 

assistant to hflP rePly' ^^^ ^^^ ^incy remarking to his staff, 'Gentlemen, 

Tent^TlS tLTfTLrLeT^'^f you ^e^^r retire ^a little ;^I^ fear ^yo^^^ 
thanks. The "celebration" did not 
occur.) 



will get hurt' — appreciating their dan- 
ger but thoughtless of his own." 

A historian has written, "His pres- 
ence is commanding, and his manners 
winning. In personal appearance he 
is dignified and manly, in manners 
gentle and courteous, in habits tem- 
exacT coi/"or"th7"on°e in this Perate and virtuous. His military and 
t-Actui, <^uyy w personal record is without a blot; 

'none know him but to praise.' " 

George Henry Tliomas was born in 
Southampton county, Virginia, July 

«miTpr a"nd" that" Rosecrans and 31, 1816. He graduated at West Point 
smiles, and that Kosecians ana ^^ ^^^^^ standing twelfth in a class 

the of forty-two, and was assigned as 2nd 



Major General George H. Thomas. 

On sending a picture of General 
Thomas to my father during the war 

(an 

book), I wrote, "In his personal ap- 
pearance General Thomas is sober, re- 
served and dignified. It is said he 
never jokes, and seldojn laughs or 
even 

Parkhurst are the only ones who ven 
ture to joke him. But it 



;r;ndng sn;erioi^Y of me man that Lieut, to C^. E, 3rd Artillery, with 
gives these impressions to the strang- 
er, because to his subalterns and as- 
sociates he is kind and affable, and 
to everybody a courteous gentleman. 

"I have never seen him ride on a • +u„ 

gallop, and it is said his horse seldom L^^, « %-f-"L«^". ''l 



which he served in the Indian wars 
in Florida, and in the Mexican war. 
For his brilliant services in Mexico 
he was breveted Captain, and again 
Major. Dec. 24, 1853, he was promot- 
artillery. 
May 12, 1855, he was appointed junior 
Major of the Second Cavalry, of which 
regiment Albert Sidney Johnston was 
Colonel, Robert E. Lee was Lieut. 
Colonel, and W. J. Hardee was sen- 
nspire confidence ior Major. He held that position 
when the rebellion began. That reg- 
that everything is iment was organized by Jefferson 
Davis then secretary of war, and near- 



even trots. Even on the battle field 
when other generals are rushing from 
point to point, though he keeps his 
aids fiying. his horse usually walks. 
And, strange to say, his slow move- 
ments at such times i 
in the men; his apparent calmnes 
makes them feel 

^%"ff ^sTid^hft^wMfe^watching the ly all of the officers were of southern 
progress of a battle he has the pecul- birth-eviden ly ^« ^?\e«ted fo a pur- 
!ar habit of stroking his beard-down- pose as nearly all of them joined the 
ward if all is going well; upward, if rebellion. 

• '^ '*' 6 ft prover- Thomas had had much service in 



not. 



His personal bravery if 



74 

Indian wars, had been a teacher at 
West Point, and was a thorough mili- 
tary, scientific, legal and historical 
student. When the rebellion began he 
was on a year's leave of absence, and 
though a native of Virginia, when his 
state seceded he did not hesitate a 
moment to side with the national gov- 
ernment, but at once offered his ser- 
vices for the defense of the Union — 
thus showing a true patriotism high 
above that of his fellow officers. 

Pew generals were so fully acquaint- 
ed with the minutest details and con- 
ditions of his army, or so thoroughly 
acquainted with the soldiers of a large 
army in their minor organizations. 
Lieut. Col. Wilkinson, commanding 
the Ninth Michigan Infantry, which 
for a long time was headquarters 
guard, once said that he was in con- 
stant fear lest General Thomas should 
evince a more complete knowledge 
of his regiment than himself. At 
times the general did not see the 
regiment for several months, and yet 
he could give the names of the ser- 
geants and the companies to which 
they belonged. He was a close observ- 
er, and having a retentive memory, 
he often surprised his staff officers 
and others about him by his intimate 
knowledge of the minutest details of 
matters pertaining to their several 
departments, to which he had seem- 
ingly given but little attention. 

And few generals have been so ex- 
haustive in preparation for campaigns 
or battles as he, when time permitted. 
His wisdom in this is vindicated when 
it is known that "He never lost a bat- 
tle." He was the "Brilliant Victor" 
at Mill Springs, the "Solid Center" at 
Stone River, the "Rock of Chickamau- 
ga," the "Invincible Phalanx" at 
Missionary Ridge, the "Victorious An- 
nihilator" at Nashville. 

The nation has not yet adequately 
honored his superior personal abili- 
ties, and his eminent services to the 
country. 

To have been the headquarters and 
body guard of such a general for 
nearly three years continuously, and 
to have been kept in that position 
several months after the war closed 
and after most other regiments had 
been mustered out, as was the Ninth 
Michigan Infantry, was an honor not 
enjoyed by any other regiment dur- 
ing the Civil war. There must have 
been good reasons for it. 



"THE ROCK OF CHICKAMAUGA" 

Let rebels boast their Stonewall brave 
Who fell to fill a traitor's grave, 
We have a hero grander far, 
The Union was his guiding star. 
The "Rock of Chickamauga." 

When, foot by foot, stern Rosecrans 
'Round grim Lookout, with bold advance. 
Pressed back the rebels from their lair. 
Our Thomas was the foremost there, 
The "Rock of Chickamauga.' 

And when, in mightier force, they came 
With serried ranks and sheets of flame, 
Sweeping apart our shattered bands, 
Who snatched the palm from rebel hands? 
The "Rock of Chickamauga." 

All day they surged and stormed in vain. 
Lost Chattanooga to regain, 
In vain each furious battle shock; 
They were but waves, and he the rock. 
The "Rock of Chickamauga." 

His clarion voice with cheering word. 
Above the din of battle heard. 
His bearing firm, his kindling eye 
Fired every breast with ardor high. 

The "Rock of Chickamauga." 
A new Thermopylffi we found 
On Chickamauga's bloody ground; 
And in that rugged mountain pass 
He stood our true Leonidas, 

The "Rock of Chickamauga." 

Gone is our hero, strong and brave, 
Columbia weeps above his grave. 
While high upon the roll of fame 
She writes that loved and honored name. 
The "Rock of Chickamauga." 

— Wm. B. Hamilton, Lieut. 22d Mich. 



CAPTAIN EPHRAIM MARBLE. 

Ephraim Marble, Marshall, Mich., 
has been a representative of the high- 
est and best type of Americans. 

He came to Michigan in November, 
18.34, then a lad of but eight and a half 
years. His has been a busy, capable, 
willing, responsible life; patriot, far- 
mer, scholar, teacher, educator, useful 
citizen. 

He was teaching a country school 
when the call came for volunteers in 
1846. Like Israel Putnam in the Rev- 
olution, he responded at once, enlist- 
ing in the 1.5th U. S. Infantry, in which 
he served throughout the war with 
Mexico, never a single day off duty. 

When the Stars and Stripes wero 
fired upon at Fort Sumter, Marble had 
a devoted, scholarly wife and five chil- 
dren. They were busy on the farm, 
but he immediately began prepara- 
tions to take part in the fray which he 
foresaw would be a long and fiercely 
contested warfare. 

He enlisted as 2nd Lieut, in Co. F, 
9th Michigan Infantry, Aug. 14. 1861; 
was promoted to 1st Lieut. April 21. 









i 


^^^BBks:^ .^^S 


^^^^HT^j^pTfl^^^B 


rv^ 


^^i>:.:l 





FIFTIETH-ANNIVERSARY REUNION. NINTH MICHIGAN VOLUNTEER INFANTRY AT FORT WAYNE, SEPTEMBER 20 AND 21, 1911. See names on page 64. Cut from H. C. Rankii 



1S62, and to Captain Co. B, Aug. 7, 
1863. He resigned Sept. 26, 1864. He 
was Acting Commissary at General 
Thomas' headquarters from Dec, 1862, 
to July, 1863; and Acting Ass't Com- 
missary of the 14th Army Corps from 
July, 1863, to Sept., 1864, during which 
time millions of dollars in army sup- 
plies passed through his hands, and 
not a dollar went wrong. He was hon- 
est, loyal, fearless, efficient, trustwor- 
thy; was valued, trusted and honored 
by Gen. Thomas, and to know him was 
to love him. 

When County Superintendent of 
Schools Marble refused to give certi- 
ficates to teachers who would not fore- 
swear strong drink and tobacco while 
teaching. 

He was county treasurer four years, 
and later a deputy in that office. Dur- 
ing these years he met the present 
Mrs. Marble, to whose patient, devot- 
ed and self-sacrificing ministrations 
he owes, in no small degree, his length 
of days; for if he is spared until Lin- 
coln's and his next anniversary, Feb. 
12, 1914, Marble will be 88. 

Since he first saw and heard Lin- 
coln he has been an ardent, unswerv- 
ing and enthusiastic Republican, and 
is still loyal to that party. 

Unusually forceful in all lines that 
make for true manhood, doing the 
right without any fear of personal con- 
sequence, obedient to God, strong in 
faith, loving his fellow men and anx- 
ious to serve them, watched over ten- 
derly by the best of wives, loyal to 
every aspiration and inspiration which 
has in vieAv the permanent betterment 
of his beloved and almost revered 
country. Captain Marble is sure of an 
inheritance beyond when he shall ans- 
wer "Here" to the final roll call. — 
H. C. Rankin. 



ERRATA 

When this work was begun it was 
planned to not exceed a 24 page pam- 
phlet with no" illtistration^; but as it 
progressed thie officers urged me to 
include everything of interest about 
the regiment that I could learn, and 
to illustrate it. To trace out addition- 
al stories and accounts, and to hunt 
up photographs and get cuts made has 
taken much time and correspondence; 
but every month's delay has added to 
the size of the book, and I hope to 
its worth. 



75 

In July, 1913, an effort was made to 
complete the work to be delivered at 
the Lansing meeting, and in the haste 
to accomplish that, proofs were read 
only once (not re-read after one cor- 
rection), which resulted in several er- 
rors, especially in Comrade Rankin's 
history. 

Page 45, line 21, read, "light up eag- 
erly." 

Page 46, col. 2, line 31, "for the 1893 
assembly." Last line, "a good social 
time." 

Page 47, line 30, "monument, sur- 
mounted by a statue of General Park- 
hurst." 

Page 49, col. 2, line 15, "the old reg- 
iment to make him an honorary mem- 
ber." 

Page 53, col. 2, line 16, "The Drum- 
mer Boy of the Rappahannock." 

Page 54, col. 2, line 1, "diseases in- 
cident to camp life." In list of names 
on that page Harrison T. Miller should 
be Mills, and Henry West, Wert. 

Page 56, line 7, "a needed organized 
service." 

Lieut. D. W. Cole reminds me that 
it was Robert S. Granger who drilled 
us at Bowling Green, as mentioned on 
page 27. Robert Lee and Barney Mc- 
Caffrey of Co. I were two of the ad- 
vance guards captured at Tyree 
Springs, as mentioned on page 25. 
John C. Love, Co. C, should be in- 
cluded in the list of wounded at Mur- 
freesboro. 

Besides the cut of Major Manny's 
dwelling, Frank A Lester also sup- 
plied the cut of the military prison at 
Chattanooga from a photo he took in 
April, 1913. He also supplied the cut 
of Gen. Thomas, the Champ Ferguson 
guards, Company E, and Lieut. Col. 
Wilkinson. The latter he got made 
from a photo he took from an oil 
painting in the Capitol at Lansing, 
the only picture of the Lieutenant Col- 
onel in existance. I am also indebt- 
ed to him for causing several other 
cuts to be sent to me, and for many 
helps and suggestions; as I also am 
to Comrade Rankin. Both have been 
Aarons to hold up my hands in the 
work — a gratuitous work performed 
with the sole hope that it will revive 
in the minds of my comrades many 
war time memories, and be handed on 
to their children as a record of our 
services in the great war for the Un- 
ion. 



9tli SieiMENT! 




MICHIBAS TOllJiraRS!! 




'Mil 



IE1UATEL7! 



Pa J and M^mwm ct^iMiiieneei^ from the 

time of sis^ning the muster rol!. 

The Mt ;;h»eist will rendezvous September 9th, at Ft. 
Wa^He, Detroit. 

AH j>oo<l aiKl true men \\\u> can fight if neeessarj, will 
ajipljC at onee at the 

REPUBLICAN BUILDING.' 

MORTIlflER 9IANSFIELD, Captaia* 
CoidnaU 1% Aug. 27, 1 861. 



Reduced copy of Co. G poster. (Orioinal kindly loaned by W. C. Bailey.) 



